The Opposite of Addiction is not Sobriety, It’s Connection
What do Factories, Facts, Pharmaceuticals, and Fiber Optics all have in common? That is what the Sauk County Institute of Leadership (SCIL) participants covered in their January 12th meeting. The answer: connection.
The SCIL participants started the day with a presentation from Ryan Roers, Chief Financial Officer of the Nordic Group, while receiving a tour at Seats Incorporated. Ryan spoke on supply chain shortages, the need to improvise as a leader, and the innovations that make Seats successful. One such innovation? Offering on-site medical and chiropractic care to its employees. Many of these employees, and their families, benefit from same-day appointments. Seats believes connecting their employees to easy and affordable access to health care has led to increased productivity and a decline in absenteeism.
Reedsburg’s own Madison Area Technical College campus was the next stop for the group as they listened to a presentation by Dr. Steve Deller, Professor of Agriculture and Applied Economics at UW-Madison. Dr. Deller discussed income, the tight labor market, childcare, inflation, and the increased cost of housing in Wisconsin as interconnected issues affecting our economy.
After lunch, a panel gathered to discuss the Opioid Epidemic in Sauk County, which included Ben Miller, SUDS Case Manager, Sauk County Justice, Diversion, and Support; Dr. John McAuliffe, former medical director of Sauk Prairie healthcare and current family medicine doctor; and Sara Jesse, Health Educator, Sauk County Public Health. Dr. McAuliffe shared that “the opposite of addiction is not sobriety, it’s connection”, and that remained the theme for the discussion of the panel. Ben Miller and Sara Jesse spoke about meeting people where they are when it comes to providing help to those who are struggling with addiction, and Dr. McAuliffe relayed what happens in the brain when people are suffering from addiction.
Finally, Brett Schuppner, General Manager of Reedsburg Utility Commission (RUC), spoke about how he is connecting rural communities to the internet by expanding their gigabit fiber network. He referenced goals set by the 2022 Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Access Report. Currently, 6.8% of Wisconsin residents lack access to at least one broadband service and only 17.7% have access to one gigabyte of service. RUC Lightspeed is the only municipality owned internet provider and was the first Wisconsin provider to offer one gigabyte of service. With the help of grants from the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband, RUC has been instrumental in expanding broadband service in Southern Wisconsin.
Throughout the day the SCIL participants learned the importance of connection; not just in their own lives, but within their communities and local businesses too.
Written by Brittany Melka and Laurie Killam
