H.O.P.E. Drug Court Participant Gives Back Through Winter Donation Drive

ROSEBURG, Ore. - Merrill Ball knows what it is like to go through a winter without stable housing.

Now, as he prepares to graduate from Douglas County's H.O.P.E. Drug Court Program, he is using that experience to help people who may be facing some of the same struggles he once did.

Ball has launched Warm for the Winter - Helping Those in Need, a donation drive collecting coats, blankets, socks and other cold-weather necessities for adults in Douglas County.

The project is part of the community service work participants complete as they near graduation from H.O.P.E. Drug Court. Ball decided to make his project personal.

"I have been there and just want people to know it gets better and to keep your head up and moving forward," Ball said.

Ball said his own path forward involved more than simply deciding to make a change. Treatment, support services, accountability and help from people in the community all played a role as he worked toward a more stable life.

That experience shaped the idea behind Warm for the Winter.

Ball hopes the donations will provide some immediate comfort to people who need it, but he also wants the project to send a message that someone going through a difficult period today can still build a different future.

What Is Being Collected

Community members can donate:

• New or gently used adult coats in any size
• Throw blankets
• New socks
• Gloves
• Hand warmers
• Basic hygiene items

The donation drive continues through September 11.

Items can be dropped off at Clint Newell Motors, 1481 NE Stephens Street in Roseburg, or Big O Tires, 2545 NE Stewart Parkway in Roseburg.

Ball will also spend several afternoons outside Roseburg Grocery Outlet, 780 NW Garden Valley Blvd., Suite 150, where people can bring donations and talk with him about the project.

He will be there:

• Tuesday, August 11, from 2 to 5 p.m.
• Tuesday, August 18, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, August 25, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, September 1, from 2 to 5 p.m.

The donated items are expected to be distributed during a Connecting Point event on September 17. Any supplies left afterward will be given to South River Medical Center to distribute as needed.

Turning Progress Into Something Positive

H.O.P.E. Drug Court combines treatment with close supervision and accountability for people working through substance use disorders while involved in the criminal justice system.

For many participants, recovery can also mean addressing problems that have built up around substance use, including housing, employment, transportation, health care and rebuilding relationships.

The program works with treatment providers and community organizations to connect participants with services while they move through the court process.

For Ball, those pieces helped him reach a point where he could begin helping someone else.

His winter drive brings that journey back to an experience he remembers clearly. He knows what it feels like to be outside without the things most people take for granted, and what it means when someone offers help.

Now he wants to be the person providing it.

Ball is also nearing another milestone. The 114th H.O.P.E. Drug Court Graduation is scheduled for Tuesday, October 13, at 5:15 p.m. in Cascade Hall at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.

The ceremony is open to the community and recognizes participants who have completed the program and the work required to reach graduation.

More information about H.O.P.E. Drug Court is available through the Douglas County Local Public Safety Coordinating Council at douglascountyor.gov/851/HOPE-Drug-Court.