GRAY WOLF’S 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY
Peter Boeschenstein
As we celebrated the ten-year anniversary of Gray Wolf Ranch last Memorial Day weekend, I
recognized how important it was to honor the history of the Ranch and all who have been touched
by our vision. It was a very powerful experience to see so many young men and their families come
together to celebrate recovery, family, community, and each other.
We are very proud that Gray Wolf has truly become a leader in the continuum of care for young men
in early recovery from chemical dependency. We got here by sticking close to our mission, vision,
and philosophy and by focusing on what really works. We’ve done what we know we do well, and
we haven’t waivered from our purpose. We’ve listened closely to our residents, referents, and families;
we’ve adapted to changing times; we’ve refused to compromise the integrity of our program; and
we’ve worked effectively with complex young men and their families.
As I think about where Gray Wolf is going, I envision following a path with much the same mission,
vision, and philosophy that got us where we are today, while making thoughtful programming additions
to accommodate the changing needs of our residents, referents and families. The work has been
and always will be challenging, but it is incredibly rewarding to see families come back together and
move forward.
Best wishes to all, Peter Boeschenstein |
 FROM A GWR ALUM
by GWR Alum, Chris W.
Congrats on your ten-year anniversary of being Gray Wolf. For me, it’s been just over nine years since I first was picked up at Sea-Tac Airport, trembling with exhaustion, fear, and insanity. But on the drive through the old forests of Washington up to Port Townsend, I gradually calmed down as Cathy told me a little about Gray Wolf. And when we pulled up to the lodge and I was so warmly and genuinely greeted by staff and a dozen other guys just like me, I felt home for the first time since my addiction to heroin had taken off years before. I felt safe, I felt home, and the time at Gray Wolf with Peter Lack and Kris Kampf and all the other guys and staff was the perfect incubator for my emerging sobriety and sanity.
I can't believe that was nine years ago. After leaving the Ranch, I spent the summer on a road trip and visited the 2000 Minneapolis World AA convention. I then returned to college but, unfortunately, quit meetings and relapsed a few times. Thankfully, with the skills I’d learned in Port Townsend AA and at Gray Wolf, I got back on the wagon. Over the next years I finished college, I got an apartment, I lost a close friend, I went to meetings, I got a girlfriend, I got a job, I lost the girlfriend, I went to meetings, I went to a Gray Wolf Reunion, I found spirituality and meditation, I stayed sober, and I got into grad school.
My roommate from Gray Wolf, who turned out to be my best friend, became my roommate again four years ago in Rhode Island. continued on page 2 |
