Couples Coping Support Group

Well I have been off third now for about 6 months. I think I feel better and my mind is working a little better. But, I don't have as much time as I did. It was nice to be able to do whatever I wanted during the day really not worry about time. Now it seems that I have to hustle to get anything done.

It has turned my career around a little bit though. Everyone pretty much thought I was dead weight on third, as most people are. You are pretty much just there to fill a spot on third. If something happens then they need you.

We merged with the Medical Center on 1/1/12 and then we all had to pick our jobs again. I was bumbed out of my area I went too in october and now I am a yard officer.

I didn't like the condition of the grounds so I found a crew of workers that hadn't been working because nobody was making them. I started making them work and we have been pruning trees, trimming hedges, mowing grass, edging the sidewalks and whatever else I have felt like having them do. The place looks really nice.

After talking to an inmate that worked in the garden at another prison I decided to put in a garden at our prison. So my crew and a bunch of volunteers has been working on that. Since we are actually pretty much in the city, we don't have as much room as the rural prisons. But the warden gave me permisson to put it in an area that I thought would work. So we have been cutting the sod up manually. It is hard to get access to tools, they whine because it is hard work. But it keeps them out of trouble and I since a certain amount of pride in them for what they are doing.

The produce will be donated to a food bank. I have bought the seeds and supplies we have needed so far. We are starting all our plants from seeds. A lot of guys in here have never been near a garden before so there is some interest from them.

After we get all the sod cut up, I am bringing in a dump truck of composted horse manure from the farm to fertilize the ground. Hopefully I can get my tiller in for a couple days and we can get it worked up. Even though the temps are so high. We really can't plant until 5/15 anyways.

I have also started a going home clothes program for them. A lot of them don't have anything to wear when they leave. So we were sending them out in their prison uniforms. And they look pretty bad. Tough for them to get a start back out on the streets wearing that. So I have been trying to get some donated clothes so they at least have one decent looking outfit to wear when they leave.