Rapid City and Pennington County, South Dakota - City/County Alcohol and Drug Programs History

City/County Alcohol and Drug Programs - History

Additional Links:

Employment Opportunities
Departments & Services Phone Directory

Pennington County Department and Services Directory

Auditor
Buildings & Grounds
Commissioners
Emergency Management
Equalization
Extension Services
Fire Administration
Health & Human Services
Highway
Juvenile Diversion
Ordinance Enforcement
Pennington County 9-1-1
Pennington County I/T Services
Planning & Zoning
Public Defender
Registrar of Deeds
Sheriff's Office
State's Attorney
Treasurer
Veterans' Services
Victim's Assistance
Weed & Pest

Brenda Boetel, Director
City/County Alcohol and Drug Programs
725 N. LaCrosse, Suite 300
Rapid City, SD 57701
Phone: (605) 394-6128
Fax: (605) 394-6890
Map

E-mail CCADP

The History of the Friendship House

This information was obtained from Doris Reuland who was the administrative assistant at Friendship House for a period of 16 years. She reports:

Friendship House opened in November 1969 for 8 men in a house on South Street, between West Blvd. and 11th Street. The house was opened by a group of concerned citizens to include recovering alcoholics, nuns, and others in the community.

The building current building was owned by the Catholic Church. Ray Gunn was hired as the first house manager and Ann Gunn was hired as a cook. They were the staff.

In 1972 the second floor of the building that is now Friendship House was leased as a half way house for women. The basement of the building was a day care program and the first floor was a community clinic.

On the second floor, the dorm on the east end had been a chapel. The closet in this room was a confessional. The Gunn's lived in what is now the 2nd floor dorm and this was their living room. The first rooms on both the North and South were also their rooms. It is not known regarding their kitchen facilities.

Eventually, the Friendship House took over the whole building. Using the room on the West end of the 1st floor as the kitchen. This room is now a dorm and the kitchen is in the basement. The existing group room now, was at that time a dining room and where the mural of the Serenity Prayer is was a large archway from the kitchen to the dining area.

In 1987 there were still watermarks from the flood of 1972 on the walls. At some period, AIM (American Indian Movement) occupied the building with the permission of the Catholic Church.

In March of 2005, City/County Alcohol Drug Programs took over the facility and maintained the facility as a ½ way house for male clients. In September 2005, the male Methamphetamine Program was started. The facility currently maintains treatment and continued care services for 30 male clients.

This website is provided as an information service to Pennington County citizens. Use of this website constitutes acceptance of its Terms and Conditions.

City/County Alcohol and Drug Programs - History

Sheriff's Office Links:

Additional Links:

Other Law Enforcement Links:

Quick Links:

Pennington County Department and Services Directory

The History of the Friendship House