Reclaimed Living Banquet Celebrates 10 Years of Paulding County Drug Court and Launch of New Recovery Home

PAULDING, OH — Community members, graduates, and advocates gathered on Friday, June 20, for an evening of reflection and hope at Branch Christian Fellowship to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Paulding County Drug Court and the official launch of Reclaimed Living, a new halfway house and nonprofit dedicated to sober recovery in Paulding County.

The celebratory dinner, held at 5:30 p.m., brought together past and present Drug Court participants, court officials, and supporters for a moving tribute to the lives changed through a decade of commitment to recovery. Reclaimed Living board member, Amber Krynock was the chef for the dinner with a delectable menu for all to enjoy. Being a fundraiser event, ticket sales together with a dessert auction directed by Zach Gorrell with Gorrell Bros. Real Estate and Auctioneers – all proceeds going directly to support the operations of the Reclaimed Living home—a long-awaited sober housing initiative designed to provide ongoing structure and support for individuals in recovery. Desserts were donated from people and businesses all over the area.

The evening featured emotional reunions as Drug Court alumni and current participants shared the stage, a visual reminder of how far many have come—and how many more lives stand to be transformed through continued community efforts.

Reclaimed Living board members Jane and Dave Nice gave a brief history of the journey the halfway house location has gone through to get where it is today.

Since its founding in 2015, the Paulding County Drug Court has helped hundreds of individuals find accountability, structure, and hope on their journey to sobriety. Spearheaded by Common Pleas Judge Tiffany Beckman, the program offers an alternative path for substance abuse offenders, one grounded in recovery rather than punishment.

Judge Beckman, whose leadership was spotlighted in the new “Who is PCDC?” series, has been a tireless advocate for compassionate justice. “Judge Beckman approaches her participants differently than in criminal hearings,” organizers noted. “She doesn’t wear her robe, gets to know them, and often speaks life into them with her nuggets of wisdom and inspiration.”

During the banquet, Judge Beckman addressed the crowd with heartfelt reflections and a message of continued hope. “What I’ve learned is that when someone comes to Drug Court, it’s not just about whether they stop using,” she said. “It’s about whether they begin believing that their life is worth living again.”

She continued, “Addiction is powerful—but so is love, so is support, and so is community. And I have seen, again and again, what happens when people are given the chance to succeed, the structure to stay focused, and the support to keep going.”

Outside the courtroom, Judge Beckman remains committed to learning more about addiction and best practices for treatment court, further demonstrating her dedication to those struggling with substance abuse in Paulding County.

Reclaimed Living, now an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit, was launched in tandem with the anniversary celebration to address one of the community’s most pressing needs: a safe, sober living environment for those in recovery. The organization will provide housing, structure, and peer support to help individuals transition back into society and rebuild their lives.

Participants are required to call in daily for drug screens, attend treatment and peer support meetings, and appear twice monthly before the court. This results in over 15 contact hours per week during their early months in the program, a rigorous structure designed to support lasting change.

The celebration also recognized Power2Change (P2C), a Christ-centered peer support group that has worked alongside the Drug Court for the past five years. Program Director Mitch Maibach emphasized the heart of their mission in a recent social media post: “to create a space where everyone has the opportunity to hear the Good News of the Gospel and be heard, loved, and valued despite their past.”

P2C groups focus on healing from grief, shame, anxiety, and other emotional wounds that often accompany addiction. Through weekly meetings, sober activities, and one-on-one peer mentoring, the organization aims to walk beside individuals as they move forward with hope and faith.

As Paulding County Drug Court enters its second decade, the launch of Reclaimed Living stands as a symbol of what’s possible when the community, courts, and compassion come together. With new infrastructure and an expanding network of support, Paulding County is poised to continue changing—and reclaiming—lives for years to come.