Problem bettors get help.Byline: Winston Ross The Register-Guard CORRECTION (ran 9/15/2006): A story on Page D1 on Sept. 6 listed an incorrect time for a Gambler's Anonymous meeting. The correct time is 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. each Tuesday. FLORENCE - Don used to stick to the occasional lottery ticket, a side trip to Reno on his way to California - gambling for fun, and fun only. Then a casino opened in Florence in 2004, a half-mile from the 65-year-old retiree's house. He'd go in and leave 12, 14, even 16 hours later. A year later, he realized he had "crossed the line." "I didn't care whether I won or not," he said. "I just wanted to see the things turn. It was a complete loss of control." By September of last year, Don was bankrupt. He joined a Gambler's Anonymous group in North Bend North Bend is the name of several places in the United States of America:
The 50-mile drive has worn on the former grocery warehouse worker, so next week he'll host Florence's first Gambler's Anonymous meeting. "A lot of people are being affected by the amount of gambling going on," Don said. "Now with the casino, I felt there was an absolute need for it." It's hard to say just what effect the Three Rivers Three Rivers, Que., Canada: see Trois Rivières. Casino has had on problem gambling Problem gambling is an urge to gamble despite harmful negative consequences or a desire to stop. The term is preferred to compulsive gambling among many professionals, as few people described by the term experience true compulsions in the clinical sense of the word. in Lane County, said Julie Hynes, problem gambling prevention coordinator with the county's Health and Human Services department The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the cabinet-level department of the Executive Branch of the federal government most involved with the health, safety, and welfare of the U.S. population. . Studies show casinos don't necessarily create new problem gamblers, Hynes said. But a casino provides a huge outlet for someone already suffering. "It takes awhile a·while adv. For a short time. Usage Note: Awhile, an adverb, is never preceded by a preposition such as for, but the two-word form a while may be preceded by a preposition. to really start festering fes·ter v. fes·tered, fes·ter·ing, fes·ters v.intr. 1. To generate pus; suppurate. 2. To form an ulcer. 3. To undergo decay; rot. 4. a. ," Hynes said. "The good part is the community is seeing an upsurge in business; the town is being revitalized re·vi·tal·ize tr.v. re·vi·tal·ized, re·vi·tal·iz·ing, re·vi·tal·iz·es To impart new life or vigor to: plans to revitalize inner-city neighborhoods; tried to revitalize a flagging economy. in many ways. A couple years down the road is when problems start appearing." Hynes said a lottery-funded program called Emergence, based in Eugene, soon will offer a counselor in Florence. GAMBLER'S ANONYMOUS GROUP When: Each Tuesday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., beginning next week Where: 1931 Pine St., Florence More information: Call Don at (541) 902-0952 Hot line: (877) 2STOPNOW or (877) 278-6766 |
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