Scott Witten
Editor
Officials say they hope to raise $20,000 during this year’s gathering of the Silent Samaritan Society.
The group, which tries to help families in need with counseling support, will meet on May 1. The Silent Samaritan Society does this by helping raise money for Scotland Family Counseling Center.
Charles Wentz, Jr. the center’s director, said the basic purpose of the Good Samaritan Society is to respond to Jesus’ command to “Go and do likewise.”
“Like the Good Samaritan in the biblical parable, the Silent Samaritan Society endeavors to help their neighbor families who are experiencing a troubled and painful time in life,” Wentz said. “Also like the Good Samaritan, the Silent Samaritan Society provides financial gifts to Scotland Family Counseling Center, Inc. to help neighbor families with counseling support and counseling fee subsidies in a quiet and humble manner.”
This year, the group will meet at the W.R. Dulin Center on the campus of Scotland Memorial Hospital. The meeting begins at 6 p.m, and run until 7:30 pm. It is open to the public.
Speakers will include the Rev. Dr. Jesse Brunson, Pastor of Galilee United Methodist Church and Greg Wood, CEO of Scotland Health Care System.
This is the second year that the event has been held. Wentz said that 400 invitations have been mailed. The society has about 200 members.
“The friends of the society give gifts or make pledges,” Wentz said. “Their support helps people who don’t have money for counseling.”
The leaders for the 2012 gathering of the Silent Samaritan Society are Lynn and Jim Mason of Laurinburg. Last year, the effort was headed by Lee and Terri Howell.
“That first effort was very successful,” Wentz said. “The first time out, we were very pleased.”
Scotland Family Counseling Center, Inc. is a private non-profit corporation dedicated providing faith-integrated professional counseling services to the Scotland County area. The center is located at 1603 Medical Drive and provides counseling services to individuals, couples, families, and children.
Wentz said that the center works to address a broad range of psychological, behavioral, health, spiritual, and emotional issues including anxiety, depression, marital problems, spiritual issues, child and adolescent issues, parenting issues, grief and loss, substance abuse, blended families, and stress management.
The center is an affiliate of Scotland Health Care System. It began in 2006 with the help of the Scotland County Ministerial Alliance and the Scotland County Ministerial Association. In affiliation with CareNet of North Carolina, the center began seeing clients in November 2007 as a satellite office of Robeson Family Counseling Center in office space provided by Laurinburg Presbyterian Church.
Since that time, counseling hours have increased and the number of counselors has gone from one part-time to two full-time counselors. In September 2011, the center became an affiliate of Scotland Health Care System and relocated its offices to 1603 Medical Drive in January.
On April 2, Scotland Family Counseling Center was awarded the Governor’s Volunteer Group of the Year Award for Scotland County. The award was presented to Jim Bumgardner, the chairman of the board of directors and other volunteers by Chairman of the Scotland County Commissioners Bob Davis.
For information about the Silent Samaritan Society or Scotland Family Counseling Center, call 276-7011 or email dir@scotlandcounseling.org.
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