One Father's Story - Ieuan Gilmore, Miranda Vecchio’s father

Written by Vivian Gietz

You might know Ieuan’s daughter, Miranda, as the Executive Director of Charlford House. She went through the house over 20 years ago, in October of 2000. Ieuan will be forever grateful for what Charlford House did for Miranda.

Ieuan remembers that before coming to treatment, Miranda had been living in the US. Ieaun had been trying to get her to come back to Canada as her drug abuse got worse in the States, isolated and far away from her family. Eventually, he was able to convince her to come up to Canada, and she stayed at a B&B for a while before getting into Charlford House.

Ieuan went to the house to visit Miranda while she was staying there. He remembers Miranda showing him her step-work. She was learning valuable skills and helping with chores, learning how to be part of the sisterhood. He saw her change little by little.

Ieuan remembers watching Miranda turn back into the joyful, helpful person he had known before her addiction. “She was a joy to be around,” he says. Ieuan attended NA meetings with her in her early recovery and learned a lot from the people there.

Having found her way back to Charlford House as the Executive Director many years later, Miranda gives back to the house that saved her life every day through her work. She has a great relationship with her father today and Ieuan couldn’t be prouder.

Charlford House has been saving lives and improving father/daughter relationships for over 50 years. Support women in recovery like Miranda by becoming a monthly donor today:

Read this article on Burnaby Now

Just for Today: Weathering the Storm of COVID-19

Written by Vivian Gietz

As it has for many others, COVID-19 presented new challenges for the staff, Board, and women of Charlford House Society for Women. In the past couple of weeks, the health guidelines have become stricter each day. Visitors are no longer allowed, which limits our volunteer numbers and means our alumnae can no longer come home as they used to. Some staff had to start working from home, including myself, the Administrative Assistant. We had to reconsider how to handle intakes and discharges, and our upcoming fundraising events were cancelled.

Until recently, I had been optimistic and enjoying the sunny weather, ready to embrace the energy of the spring. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. I suddenly did not feel hopeful or prepared to take on the new season. I felt anxious, depressed, and terrified, not just for myself but for the negative financial and mental health effects this could have on my friends and family. I especially worried for the friends I made through Charlford House, wondering if the intense isolation, including the closure of NA and AA resource centres, could cause those newer to recovery to relapse.

However, I soon started seeing video chat recovery meetings popping up. I was surprised when my friends started sending me invitations to them, even though I’m not an addict. When I joined one, I was overwhelmed by the number of smiling familiar faces on my phone screen, all happy to have me there as an “honourary Peach”. I realized not only are my friends in recovery still surrounded by support in this time of uncertainty, but so am I by those same women. In my time working here, they’ve fully welcomed me as one of their own, and they weren’t about to let me go through this alone.

A resounding reminder of “Just for today”, a common addictions recovery mantra, echoed throughout the video call. I realized then I should be facing this pandemic the same way my friends face their recovery: one day at a time. I still didn’t know how long this would last, but I knew I had a group of women to lean on, even when I couldn’t see them in person.

Despite the many changes in the past few weeks, the women of Charlford House remain energetic, warm, and hopeful. A consistent beacon of light in a difficult time, Charlford House upholds the love and compassion it’s known for, even through unforeseen challenges. I don’t know when I’ll return to my office there, but I know I will one day soon.

With 50 years of experience supporting women, it’s clear that Charlford House is capable of continuing to offer a sense of home to staff and alumnae alike, regardless of physical limitations. I’m confident this will be an opportunity for us to explore new ways of connecting our women, fundraising, and engaging our supporters. We’ll come out even stronger in the end. As we face this one day at a time, we will continue to save lives, one woman at a time.

Now more than ever, we need your support. Please consider making a donation to Charlford House by visiting charlfordhouse.ca/donate. Donations over $20 will receive a tax receipt.

My First Two Weeks at Charlford House

Contributed by Vivian Gietz

When I applied for the Administrative Assistant position at Charlford House Society for Women, my goal was simply to find a new full time position. My previous workplace had become stressful and had a long commute from my home. At the same time, I was determined to find something that aligned better with my long term career interests in social justice and communications.

When I interviewed for the position at Charlford, I instantly knew that this was a place I would be able to call home. I immediately had a “gut feeling” I was meant to work here and was completely overjoyed when offered the position. Since starting, I’ve been told by everyone here that you can feel the love and magic of Charlford House the moment you step inside. That is certainly true; I felt it when I first came for my interview and every day since. I am very humbled to be a part of it.

Though I haven’t personally struggled with addiction, I have dealt with my own mental illnesses. I’m all too familiar with the overwhelming negative power the troubled mind can have. I also have a number of friends and family who struggle with addiction. I find it incredibly encouraging and inspirational to hear the women of Charlford speak so openly about addiction recovery and mental health.

I’m someone who loves to think and talk about emotional growth and connections to others and the world around us. It’s very important to me that these virtues, and the self-awareness that comes with them, are valued as part of people’s journeys towards improvement. Here at Charlford House, everyone truly demonstrates that through dedication to growth, conversation, and connection, miraculous things can happen.

The success stories and impressive history of Charlford House are clear evidence of this. I knew I was joining an organization I could be proud to say I work for. Working here for only a couple weeks, I’ve already learned much more about addiction than my limited knowledge was before my arrival. This knowledge will help me continue to empathize with those in my life struggling with addiction and provide tactics applicable to coping with my own mental illness, even if it isn’t addiction-related.

The position is exactly what I was looking for in so many ways. Writing articles, managing social media, and redesigning websites are exactly the areas where my passions lie, especially for such a great cause. With such a welcoming environment and the opportunity to expand these skills, I certainly seem to have found a position that exceeds my expectations. I look forward to working here for the foreseeable future. I can’t wait to see what I help Charlford accomplish while I’m here.