ECS Welcomes Two New Board Members in January

Rocket Ewell joins ECS Board. January 2022.

Rockette Ewell

Rockette Ewell is Vice President, Community Affairs Manager at U.S. Bank. A member of the Community Affairs and Engagement team, she leads charitable giving and community reinvestment efforts across three Southern California markets - San Diego, Orange County and the Inland Empire. In addition, she helps identify and develop strategic community partnerships and employee volunteer opportunities that support the bank’s corporate social responsibility priorities as well as drive business results.  

Rockette is active in the community, currently serving on boards of the Boys and Girls Clubs of San Diego (executive committee member), the San Diego Museum of Us (executive committee member and secretary) and NeighborWorks Orange County, where she is vice chair. She is a member of San Diego Community College District’s San Diego Promise Development Committee and is U.S. Bank’s representative on the San Diego City-County Reinvestment Task Force. A 2015 graduate of LEAD San Diego’s IMPACT program, she joined the bank in June 2014.

A native Texan, Rockette is a graduate of Princeton University, where she majored in Religion. She and her husband reside in north San Diego County.

Dr. Richard Lee joins ECS Board. January 2022.

The Reverend Dr. Richard Lee

Fr. Richard was born in Leicester, in the heart of the England, and went to University in Bangor, North Wales where he studied Electronic Engineering. He liked Wales so much that he stayed there for a decade! During that time, he got a Ph.D. in Biophysics, deepened his faith and became involved with the Church in Wales and spent two months working with the Mar Thoma Church in Kerala, South India.

After moving to the United States in 2000, he lived in the San Francisco Bay area before moving to San Diego in 2004. Fr. Richard is a bi-vocational priest, which means he has a full-time job working in science at a local biotech company. He trained for ordination at the diocesan School for Ministry, in Ocean Beach and was ordained a deacon at the Cathedral, and a priest at Good Samaritan where he served as Curate. He is married to Antonio, who is a certified nursing assistant.

Meet Paul

Meeting Paul for the first time, one is struck by his signature Texas twang. It’s a delicate speech pattern that savors each vowel, and sometimes, makes one believe that they aren’t in Southern California, but deep in the heart of Texas.

Paul outside of CERRC. September 2021.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise since Paul grew up outside of Dallas in the city of Plano.

And one would also not be surprised that Paul was a football standout—his broad shoulders and strong frame exude athleticism. In fact, his talents landed him with a football scholarship at LSU in Baton Rouge—a powerhouse of the Southeastern Conference.

But beneath the layers of this born and bred Texan, lies so much more. Growing up, he admits he had a really great life.

“My parents divorced when I was really young. But I loved my parents and got to know my birth mother as I got older,” Paul recalled.

But in his teen years, Paul’s birth mother faced her own issues.

“My step-father was a raging alcoholic and would beat my mother senseless,” Paul said.

There was a lot of weight on Paul and his siblings, thinking about the safety of their mother. Then, one event would change the course of their lives forever.

“One night, there was an accident,” Paul said. “Mom had to go to the hospital.”

But instead of driving to the hospital, Paul and his brother drove over to his step-father’s house.

“There were police everywhere. It was a mess,” Paul said. 

And then, Paul reacted. 

He picked up a butcher knife and stabbed his stepfather in the chest.

Paul was only 17. 

Though Paul was acquitted of any wrongdoing, the event replays mercilessly in Paul’s mind. And it is the main reason why Paul started using drugs.

“I started with cocaine, then heroin, metho, ecstasy,” Paul recalled.

For nearly 30 years, he relied on drugs to escape the indescribable pain of that night in his mother’s kitchen.

In between, he’s spent time in and out of prison. And during his most recent stint in prison, Paul decided he needed a change.

“March 7, 2020 was the day I decided to stop using drugs,” Paul said. “Two of the guys with me in prison were doing drugs, and I told them I was done. I decided to change. I was tired of seeing drugs ruin my life.”

Since then, Paul has not used substances. He was released from prison on March 5, and as part of his probation, enrolled in services at the Central East Regional Recovery Center (CERRC), operated by Episcopal Community Services in San Diego. 

At CERRC, clients receive outpatient recovery services, including in-depth assessments, individual counseling, group treatment, and more.

But Paul was reluctant to commit to the program at first.

“I had just enrolled and my counselor, Trisha, called to tell me that I was going to class three days a week, for an hour and a half,” Paul recalled. “I told her, ‘I can’t do that. I’m not gonna do that—I gotta work.’”

But his CERRC counselor was persistent.

Paul and his CERRC Counselor Trisha. September 2021.

“Trisha said to give her two weeks of her class and see how it goes,” Paul said. “That was just six classes, so we tried it out.” 

The rest, as they say, is history.

“Now, they can’t get rid of me!” Paul quipped. “I just want to spend my life inspiring others, just like ECS inspired me. My ultimate goal is to be affiliated with ECS as long as possible. That’s how much this program means to me.”

Paul is the first to acknowledge that recovery is a process, but he knows that he has a community behind him.

“ECS has made me realize that there is a better life,” Paul said. “If I didn’t have ECS, I would not be working. I would not be housed. I would not have food.”

And now, Paul basks in this new chapter .

"If you could have seen me before, I was a completely different person," Paul said. "My life has changed. This program helped me to change my life." 

Watch Paul share what ECS’ support means to him.

Meet Windi

ACCORD Counselor Monya (left) and Windi (right). September 2021.

Windi’s journey to ACCORD started earlier this year. After a long period of substance use, she decided to make a change. Part of that change included facing some of her past mistakes, including an infraction of driving under the influence. So, she enrolled at ACCORD DUI, a California-licensed program for individuals arrested for or convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. 

“From the beginning, the staff were very welcoming,” Windi said. “They took a personal interest in me, and that was different from other programs I’ve been a part of.” 

Windi dove headfirst into the program, attending virtual group sessions regularly. And now, she’s able to see things differently. 

“ACCORD has just changed my life,” Windi recalled. “Just a few weeks into sessions made me see things differently. It was like peeking through the looking glass and seeing things in a different light.” 

Windi credits much of her success at ACCORD to Monya. 

“Without Monya, I’d still be self-sabotaging,” Windi recalled. “She is such a good facilitator. She creates a safe space and makes everyone feel welcome.”

But during their brief meeting at ACCORD, Monya was quick to provide equal praise to Windi. 

“You did the work,” Monya told Windi. “You showed up and did it.” 

The fact that Windi will celebrate three years of sobriety in October is not lost on either of them. And just after they ended their embrace, they were immediately drawn to a framed poster in the ACCORD lobby. It features a staircase with the words “one step at a time” emblazoned in the corner. 

It serves as a reminder to clients that recovery is a process, not necessarily a destination. 

For Windi, it’s been a road worth taking. 

"Recovery means that you can live a life that’s worth living,” Windi said. “I never really knew myself but now I can be with my mom and be dependable. I can be of service.” 

But Windi is painfully aware of the need for substance use disorder services in the community.

“ACCORD saves lives,” Windi said. “And you don’t know whose life it’s going to save. You are protecting your family by supporting ECS. Life’s a team sport; no one’s winning alone.”

Watch Windi share how ACCORD helped her on her journey to recovery.

Meet Loyda

CERRC walked with Loyda on her journey to recovery. September 2021.

Loyda pauses and reflects for a moment as she enters the North Park Community Park on a hot summer day.

Just a few blocks away is where she raised her kids. And now, she relishes the opportunity to stop by and, in a way, her visit brings her recovery experience full circle.

Loyda’s journey has not been the easiest, to say the least. At age 15, she was emancipated in the court system, and with one child already, she was forced to grow up quickly.

Domestic violence and other experiences led her to selling and using drugs. She worked to keep some kind of structure for her kids, but substance use never seemed to escape her life.

And then, one slip up changed her trajectory.  “I slid back, and got high,” Loyda recalled.

A friend recommended Loyda reach out to the Central East Regional Recovery Center (CERRC), an outpatient substance use disorder program run by Episcopal Community Services (ECS).

“My friend recommended ECS for the stability of my housing, so I could find a safe place to stay without drugs,” Loyda said.

She completed her first interview with ECS virtually. But COVID provided additional headaches for Loyda. Her father tested positive for the virus, which forced Loyda into quarantine. Meaning that she would be delayed in moving into a sober living facility. 

And she made another misstep.

“When I quarantined, I knew they couldn’t test me,” Loyda said. “And I fell back.”

Once she was out of quarantine, she tested positive for drugs. It looked like all her hard work was about to go out the window. But she got one more chance.

Loyda revels in her recovery. September 2021.

“Everyone agreed that they were going to test me again,” Loyda said. “If I passed, I could stay in the outpatient services of ECS. It was like a pot of gold for me to get back the trust of my family.”

Since then, Loyda’s been on the path of recovery.

“Eight months later, I’ve been supported by ECS,” Loyda said. “They’ve assisted me with my housing and move-in fees, clothing, transportation to get to work.”

Since then, Loyda has been an active participant in her recovery at the Central East Regional Recovery Center (CERRC).

And now, Loyda has remained housed and in recovery for the past 8 months.

“I was feeling lonely, and I didn’t have anyone to talk to,” Loyda recalled. “But ECS has always been there. It’s really been an amazing ride. I really appreciate everything.”

But it’s more than the recovery services offered at CERRC.  

“I received help with my housing and move-in fees, clothing, transportation to get to work, and employment services. And now, here I am as a helpful member of my community,” Loyda said.

She’s returning to her life as an involved grandmother, picking up her grandson from school daily. And she just started a new job at 7/11, which has given her a fresh start.

“I’m very happy with my life today,” Loyda said. “I’m full of joy. I was grateful to be able to get my life back.”

However, she’ll be the first to admit, recovery is a process.

“It’s one day at a time,” Loyda said. “Everyone wants to hurry up, but no, you take it one day at a time. It’s not going to come at once. If it does, then what did I get out of that?”

Loyda continues to be on the road to recovery. But she’s felt less alone during these isolating times because of her involvement with ECS.

“ECS is a community that walks with you, and you don’t feel alone,” Loyda said. “That’s a good feeling.” 

Watch Loyda tell her recovery story.