Testimonials

The Bridge organization came to present to our Wellness class about the dangers and rampant use of Opioids in not only our state but in Bradley County and Cleveland City.  They provide factual information and opened the doors to a more productive conversation with our students.  This was the best drug presentation I have observed since becoming a teacher at Cleveland High School.

I have never personally studied drugs or drug addiction. A few months ago our youth pastor had a guest speaker come talk to our youth group regarding the dangers of prescription narcotics.  Several weeks later I had to have knee surgery. Before I went back to the OR, the anesthesiologist came to talk to me and explained the medications he would be giving me to go to sleep and then the medications I would be sent home with for pain. I remembered the information that I was given at church and it enabled me to question my doctor about what pain medication I would be given post surgery. I was wary of the types of medicine due to the warnings that I was given specifically about opioids. I was going to be prescribed Hydrocodone (this drug was mentioned during the lesson). He did explain to me that narcotics do have their place and safety in short-term use for extreme pain. I still felt I wanted to be very cautious and so I decided to take one dosage of the medicine the next morning. From then on I only used over the counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen, Aleve, and Tylenol. I was blessed that I was able to manage my pain enough with those that I was dancing on my leg the next day. I have seen first hand the dangers of drug addiction in friends. I am grateful to have been educated on ways I can protect myself from falling into a trap of potential addiction. Thank you for your ministry to our community, making all of us more aware of how to care for family members and ourselves.

The Bridge has a great presentation that encourages students to make good choices and how choices can impact their lives.

Dear Reba,

It has been very interesting since y'all came.  During guidance lessons, I asked the students if they wanted to reflect on the guest speakers we had from The Bridge. Several students wanted to write letters to Mr. Scott. I gave the students time to write a letter during the class. They asked me to read them and I learned so much more about our children and their families. We decided to make a lunch group with some students who have really been affected by drugs in their families.

Thank you so much for helping our student family at Arnold feel stronger and better prepared for the peer pressures they will face and making a difficult subject easier to talk about.

Thank you again,

Kathleen Wilson

School Counselor Ed.s

Friends, With the rising opioid crisis finally receiving it’s due attention by our government, we are obligated to no longer turn a blind eye to this hidden pain that has battered many families in our area. My friends at The Bridge have committed themselves to raising awareness of the crisis, connecting addicts to treatment, and ultimately creating stable, sustainable lives for all involved. I encourage you to open up your hearts and your youth groups to be impacted by the words of The Bridge. Many of us are not experts on opioid addiction; it would be unwise for us to take point on such a serious matter and run the risk of misinformation. Let’s learn to reach out to the experts and hear from the great cloud of witnesses that surround us in this matter. Grace and Peace, The Element Youth Team Westmore Church of God Jared Waldrop – High School Pastor Zach Clevenger – Middle School Pastor Chris Schelich – Priority Projects Coordinator

We recently had ATS The Bridge come and share with our teens about the opioid crisis that is greatly affecting not only our nation but our community here in Bradley County as well. This was a very informative and eye-opening presentation. The folks from ATS The Bridge are very passionate about changing the course of direction for this and future generations. They will definitely help bring an awareness to your group about all the dangers of drugs and opioids.  We highly recommend and encourage you to consider having ATS The Bridge come and share their vast knowledge with your group. Rev. Russell Hall Living Water Student Ministries The Student Ministry of Mt. Olive

When we asked Reba Terry to come speak to the members of our women’s circle at First United Methodist Church, we knew that the opioid epidemic was a serious issue in our society affecting many children and young people. From her presentation, we learned how easy it is to access these drugs, how easy it is to become addicted, and how difficult it can be to get over that addiction. We did find hope in the fact that ATS The Bridge and other agencies and ministries are involved in the fight, but we also realized that we, too, need to be involved. We now know that as mothers, grandmothers, aunts, teachers, mentors, and friends we must be careful in our handling of any opioids and aware of the dangers and symptoms of their overuse.  We intend to encourage other groups in our church to learn as we did and get involved in any way we can.

As an educator in our local schools, this program that Ms. Terry and Mr. Elam bring to the classroom is hands down one of the realists out there. Their passion in this subject area is unmatched. I've now brought this into every one of my classes and I can tell you lives are being saved!