Former governor of Alaska and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin attended a fundraiser last week for a Christian addiction recovery program. The Teen Challenge Montana fundraiser was attended by 1,600 people eager to hear Palin’s speech.
Palin spoke at the fundraiser in hopes of helping to raise $450,000 to install a commercial kitchen at the Montana Women’s Outreach facility in Missoula. The Christian recovery program houses up to 20 women and the treatment program is 12 to 18 months long.
Palin said she believed that Teen Challenge works because it is a Christian program that does not accept government funding. The program is funded solely by donations and fundraising events.
"Government can’t fix the problem," Palin said. "Government is the problem. Government can’t dry a tear or lend a shoulder or put a family back together."
Most of Palin’s speech centered on God and how developing a relationship with God helps those struggling with difficult challenges like addiction.
"God can’t give you anything you can’t handle," Palin said.
Before Palin took the stage, Jacqueline Strothoff spoke of her addiction. Strothoff was a heroin addict as a teenager who became pregnant. As a result of her drug use, she miscarried the twins she was carrying inside her. She then pressured her brother to try heroin. He did, and died instantly. Strothoff’s emotional story set the tone for why recovery from addiction is important.
This story is an extreme one, but Teen Challenge Montana Executive Director Jan Henderson said most of the women’s testimonials are just as emotional.
