BRANSON, Mo. -- After a week of shooting off fireworks around the Ozarks, someone has to clean up the mess. An unlikely group of recovering addicts is cleaning up what others left behind.
Scott Strawn is a recovering alcoholic who stays at the Church Army rehabilitation center in Branson, Mo.
"I felt that I needed long term treatment," said Strawn.
The Church Army picked up trash the morning after a fireworks display in Branson. Michelle Harllee, the Development Director for Church Army, said she was tired of seeing the same mess ever year after July 4th.
"I just noticed that there was a lot of debris, just general trash debris from fireworks"
Strawn and his fellow volunteers say they're sending a message to their community.
"We are people who probably had issues in the past and problems," Strawn said. "And I'm sure there's a negative outlook on that no matter what community you're in."
And Harllee said it's therapeutic as well.
"It makes them feel good," she said. "They really enjoy volunteering for anything."
"We're trying to make a difference trying to better ourselves," Strawn agreed, "so we won't go down that path again."
Cleaning up someone else's mess goes with the 12-Step Program, according to Jessica Bloomer, another volunteer.
"This would be cleaning up what others have left behind, making things better than you found them."
And a sense of community also helps the road to recovery.
"I've never seen another organization or group or anything that they're absolutely a family," Strawn said.
Scott Strawn is a recovering alcoholic who stays at the Church Army rehabilitation center in Branson, Mo.
"I felt that I needed long term treatment," said Strawn.
The Church Army picked up trash the morning after a fireworks display in Branson. Michelle Harllee, the Development Director for Church Army, said she was tired of seeing the same mess ever year after July 4th.
"I just noticed that there was a lot of debris, just general trash debris from fireworks"
Strawn and his fellow volunteers say they're sending a message to their community.
"We are people who probably had issues in the past and problems," Strawn said. "And I'm sure there's a negative outlook on that no matter what community you're in."
And Harllee said it's therapeutic as well.
"It makes them feel good," she said. "They really enjoy volunteering for anything."
"We're trying to make a difference trying to better ourselves," Strawn agreed, "so we won't go down that path again."
Cleaning up someone else's mess goes with the 12-Step Program, according to Jessica Bloomer, another volunteer.
"This would be cleaning up what others have left behind, making things better than you found them."
And a sense of community also helps the road to recovery.
"I've never seen another organization or group or anything that they're absolutely a family," Strawn said.
