Residential addiction recovery center planned in Evergreen

A Conifer resident has purchased the former Basecamp on Buffalo Park Road to turn it into a residential community for those in addiction recovery — tailoring the program primarily to veterans.

Called Spero, which is Latin for hope, the facility will have 10 to 12 residents at a time, who will stay for 28 days at a cost of $5,400. Think of it as a 24/7 Alcoholic Anonymous meeting. Residents will have been through addiction treatment elsewhere, and Spero will teach them about living in recovery. The program uses AA’s 12-step program, according to Spero’s Executive Director Butch Lewis of Conifer.

Lewis and his team want to explain to the public what the program is and how it will be operated, and answer questions. They are conducting an informational meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 19, at the building, 29997 Buffalo Park Road.

Lewis said the impetus for Spero and David’s House Sober Community was Boy Scout Troop 737 in Evergreen, of which he is a leader. He spoke with some of the other parents and learned that many of them had been impacted by addiction. Lewis lost his brother and sister to addiction.

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By Deb Hurley Brobst
Tuesday, June 4, 2019

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Residents voice concern, support for addiction recovery center

A three-hour informational meeting on June 19 about an addiction recovery center primarily for veterans on Buffalo Park Road was a mixture of contentiousness and support.

It ended with plans for quarterly community meetings, an advisory board to help the center continue communication with area residents and plans to create a stronger security strategy. However, some attendees left frustrated that they weren’t informed earlier about the plans and concerned that officials didn’t have answers to all of their questions.

About 65 people attended a meeting to ask questions and express opinions about the center at the former Basecamp. Called Spero, which is Latin for hope, the facility will have 10 to 12 male residents at a time, who will stay for 29 days at a cost of $5,400 each. Residents will have gone through addiction treatment elsewhere, and Spero will teach them about living in recovery.

Spero wasn’t required to have community meetings to inform the public of its plans, however it conducted this meeting to provide information and be transparent about its plans and dispel rumors, Lewis said.

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By Deb Hurley Brobst
Tuesday, June 25, 2019

Evergreen community divided on future of substance abuse center inside former church
Posted September 17, 2019, by Evan Kruegel, KDVR

EVERGREEN, Colo. -- Hundreds of people filled a standing-room only meeting at a former Evergreen church Tuesday night, upset over a potential zoning change being considered for a substance abuse program inside.

Lewis, a veteran who lost two siblings to substance abuse, has promised to help veterans with significant scholarships for the program.

Tuesday night, many said they believe Lewis is using that as a peg to get a zoning change.

Lewis took offense, openly yelling at audience members before a moderator could intervene.

It was one of a few intense moments at the meeting, where community members also expressed concerns over security, commercialization of the property and with having people recovering from substance abuse within just a few thousand feet of a school.

Watch the video at kdvr.com/2019/09/17/evergreen-community-...nside-former-church/

A resident has started a petition on Change.org in opposition to this re-zoning proposal. Read what he wrote here: www.change.org/p/residents-of-evergreen-...a-commercial-purpose

Petition started by Nate Marshall in support of the re-zoning for the Spero Center: petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/presid...r-evergreen-colorado

Spero will remain in Evergreen, with or without rezoning

Spero, which is Latin for hope, is an addiction recovery center that started operations with six guests — not clients because their participation is voluntary — in early July. The guests live in the house at 29877 Buffalo Park Road, and they participate in community meals, 12-step meetings and other programming at the former Basecamp building at 29997 Buffalo Park Road.

Both properties are zoned A-2, which allows the house to have six unrelated residents, and the church has a nonconforming-use permit allowing for religious activities.

If the rezoning is denied, Spero will continue its addiction recovery programs at the former church. It will then look for homes to rent or buy throughout the community. Those guests will sleep in the houses and be transported to the Spero building daily for programs.

While Lewis says that scenario is not ideal, it will allow for Spero to continue its addiction recovery mission. Simply put, Spero is here to stay.

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By Deb Hurley Brobst
Tuesday, September 24, 2019