The Turning Point Center in Rutland is more than a respite for those battling substance abuse - it is transforming itself into a therapeutic center for everyone.

There’s a reading and interpretative writing class offered through the month of July. The center has been host to laughter yoga and healing energy classes. And now its members are getting their hands dirty - thanks to a new vegetable garden in the backyard.

The welcoming of Director Lizabeth Antonoff has allowed the center, formerly known as “the club,” to start to shed its reputation as merely a gathering place for those addicted to drugs and alcohol.

According to staff, it’s now a safe, productive haven where anyone is welcome to share in a meal, talk about their day, meditate with volunteer professionals and work with one another on an array of issues and concerns.

Antonoff attributes the center’s ongoing transformation to the inner strength of its members and to support from the community.

The center is active in helping those break free of substance abuse while in jail or recently released.

The garden project gets members out on a sunny day, giving them the confidence to learn to garden and to learn a new trade.

The overall goal is to get members back on their feet socially and then into the job market, equipped with marketable skills and added confidence.

The center is also in the process of purchasing a food cart for backyard cookouts and will make an appearance as a vendor at a local festival. While cuts in funding for the center are looming, that threat isn’t stopping Antonoff and her crew from moving forward with their plan to change the center’s focus.

For more information about the services offered at the Turning Point Center, located at 141 State St., call 773-6010 or email turningpointcenterrutland@yahoo.com.

cristina.kumka@rutlandherald.com