‘Back to reality’: Sober living center helps reintegrate into society
By Isabel Flores
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TULSA, Oklahoma (KJRH) — The Saratoga Wings of Freedom sober living center opened in January 2001.
Since then, it’s been run by Pastor Dixie Pebworth, who told 2 News he’s had his own struggles that allowed him to give back to the community.
It is in the remodeled Saratoga Motor Hotel on Route 66 in east Tulsa. It’s not the first time 2 News has highlighted its efforts:
“I was sentenced to 80 years in prison, I was a drug addict, I was a drug dealer at one point in time,” he said. “I did a lot of bad things, wound up in prison.”
Pastor Pebworth said after he was able to get out of prison early, he made a promise to God to spend the rest of his life helping others.
“We basically take them by their hand and begin to walk with them and help find their hurt and to heal and then get on with their lives,” he said.
Makayla Tanner and her husband, Garrett, started staying at the Saratoga Wings of Freedom Sober Living Center almost a year ago.
“I’ve said this to a lot of the women here, a lot of the women’s staff,” said Makayla. “Wings of Freedom saved my marriage, and I will be eternally grateful to Pastor Dixie and this organization.”
“I was coming off a really bad time in my life,” said Garrett. “I quit my job. Thought I had something to fall back on. I just fell in depression. I fell too far.”
The Tanners said through resources like therapy, parenting classes, financial classes, church, and a sense of community, they’ve been able to bring their family closer.
It’s been 2 years at the center for the Mason family and they echo the sentiment.
“It brought us back to reality,” said Daniel Mason. “Where we were in life and where we needed to be were way two different things. We were way off in left field.”
Destini Mason said that through the program, she regained custody of the rest of her children and repaired her family.
“I found my self-worth, I found out who I am in Christ, I found out how to be a mom, I found out how to be sober, I found out how to cope.” she said. “There’s so many things that I could tell you that this place has done for me, but a list of what it hasn’t done will be a lot shorter.”
Pastor Pebworth said the six-month program holds residents at the center accountable for their actions.
They have to present clean drug tests, pay their $650 a month, and show up for their loved ones in order to graduate.
He said he’s always looking for ways to help the community, and he’s seen an unfulfilled need in pregnant and expectant mothers.
“If a woman goes in and has a baby, and during her pregnancy she partook in drugs and it winds up in the cord of the baby, then DHS normally moves in there and takes the baby immediately from the hospital,” he said. “What we’re trying to do is to get DHS to bring the mama and the baby to Wings of Freedom, so the baby stays with the mama and attaches with the mama instead of causing more havoc with the baby.”
Overall, families said they’re grateful for a second chance at life.
For more information on Wings of Freedom and its programs visit their website.
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