Valley sober living house will bring humor to tragedy this fall
By Eric Valentine
Joke: A young adult, an ethnic minority, an unpaid adult caregiver, and an essential worker walk together into a Wood River Valley bar. The bartender asks them what they’d like to drink. Each of them had past struggles with addiction so the quad orders waters instead. The bartender says that’s fine but if you’re not going to buy anything you have to help me help others, especially those struggling with addiction during a pandemic. After a few watering-hole patrons share their sob stories over rum-and-Cokes and Aperol spritz, the bartender asks the quad how he can help the addicted, the anxious and the depressed best. The young adult said hire a comedian to make them laugh. The ethnic minority said if the comic is white make sure he has really suffered. The unpaid adult caregiver said make sure proceeds from ticket sales went to a worthy nonprofit. And the essential worker said hold the show the day after the 20-year anniversary of 9-11.
That joke describes the very serious annual fundraiser Men’s Second Chance Living is hosting at The Argyros this fall and selling tickets to now. On Sept. 12 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. comic Mark Lundholm will perform for what MSCL is calling “a night of laughter for the soul.”
Lundholm has performed his fast-paced, sharp-tongued, one-man-show original material for past presidents, current inmates, Fortune 500 companies, rehab residents, huge arenas, and TEDx. And none of that is what perfectly qualifies him for this particular show. Lundholm is a self-described “once homeless, 120-pound criminal-addict-wino” who years ago turned his life around in part by using humor instead of drugs and alcohol. Today, he has performed in 15 countries and all 50 United States, including appearances on Showtime, Comedy Central, and his YouTube channel that has reached more than a million views.
“We have not used a comic before for a fundraising event. One of our board members had seen the show in Texas and thought he was brilliant and they had a large crowd for the event,” explained Sonya Wilander, executive director of MSCL.
More About That ‘Quad’
Based on data compiled last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released the following statement:
“The public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic should increase intervention and prevention efforts to address associated mental health conditions. Community-level efforts, including health communication strategies, should prioritize young adults, racial/ethnic minorities, essential workers, and unpaid adult caregivers.”
Those groups of folks are at the highest risk of general wellness complications thanks to the effects of the pandemic. And many of us across the Valley are just one to two degrees of separation now from someone who has taken the ultimate measure of anxiety and depression—suicide.
Specifically, the CDC says that data shows how compared to 2019 four areas of mental health saw spikes in the U.S. population of adults. During late June, 40% of people reported struggling in one or more of the following areas:
Anxiety/Depression—31% of respondents
Trauma/Stressor-Related Disorder Symptoms—26%
Started or Increased Substance Abuse—13%
Seriously Considered Suicide—11%
Members of the quad or not, men living with addiction will be beneficiaries of the laughter and the proceeds that go to the organization dedicated to helping men succeed in their recovery and achieve sustained sobriety via safe, affordable sober housing and support services.
MSCL House is located in a residential area in the heart of Hailey. The home tries to foster a comfortable setting where living spaces are shared, collaboration is emphasized, new sober relationships are made, and isolating behaviors are discouraged. To be eligible to live there, men must be 18 years or older, have a strong desire for sustained recovery, be in active recovery, and currently alcohol and drug free. MSCL provides a qualified house manager, shared bedrooms, easy access to bus routes and employment opportunities, home furnishings, kitchen appliances, computer and Wi-Fi, and more.
Resident fees are $375 per month.
For more information, contact Sonya Wilander at (208) 481-0182 or sonya@msclhouse.org, or visit www.MSCLhouse.org. Tickets available at www.TheArgyros.org, from $25–$125.