■ Donation to Teen Challenge
St. John’s businessman and former Newfoundland and Labrador premier Danny Williams and his wife, Elizabeth, made a donation of $50,000 on Monday afternoon at the site of the soon-to-be Teen Challenge Canada (Newfoundland and Labrador) outlet on Fowler’s Road in St. John’s. To be known as the Atlantic Hope Women’s Centre (AHWC) once completed later 2018, it will be a residential treatment centre for women battling drug and alcohol addiction. The donation helped to kick off the $1.4-million capital campaign for the completion of the on-site renovations and cover initial operating expenses of the facility, formerly known as the Circle Square Ranch. With Monday’s donation, about 30 per cent of the campaign goal is now raised for the centre. Teen Challenge is a faith-based program built on the premise that addiction is often rooted in mind, body and spirit, and recovery means supporting the whole person. Residents are offered accredited counselling along with academic and vocation training to help equip them for re-entry into their communities to live full and productive lives. Pictured for the presentation are (from left) Elizabeth and Danny Williams, AHWC development officer Tracey (Williams) Whalen and Dan Murray of London, Ont., chief executive officer of Teen Challenge Canada. Whalen, 44, originally from Kilbride, told the gathering she was addicted to drugs from the age of 18 to 38 and sought help from Teen Challenge Canada and has since completely turned her life around after seeking out treatment in Ontario.