SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Jason Stricklin is director of outreach services for Keystone Treatment Center, and he’s not shy about sharing his own personal experience; he’s been sober for 11 years, soon to be twelve.

“I’m an alcoholic and an addict in recovery,” Stricklin said.

2023 brings a milestone for Keystone of Canton and Sioux Falls; they’re celebrating 50 years. It offers treatment for chemical dependency as well as gambling addiction.

“So many folks didn’t know there was another option in life, and one thing that we teach here is recovery is a lifestyle,” Stricklin said.

“There are a lot of people out there that struggle with this,” CEO Josh Merkley said. “What I want them to know is we’re here to help. If they need to turn to help, there’s a lot of different options around, and we’re just fortunate to be one of those options.”

Merkley estimates that Keystone has helped around 50,000 people tackle their addictions.

“I always turn to the staff,” Merkley said. “It’s such a testament to what they do every day.”

“There’s actually healing when I can talk about my struggles with another person,” Stricklin said.

But he adds that there’s plenty of work to be done.

“You did an interview earlier talking about how many people Keystone has reached,” Stricklin said. “That’s literally a drop in the bucket for how many people are out there suffering.”

And he offers his own story as an example of “peace” attained.

“If I can get sober, anybody can,” Stricklin said. “There’s nothing special about me. I’m not more spiritual or smarter or more blessed by God. As a good friend of mine says regularly, if I can do it, anybody else can do it.”

Keystone has an alumni reunion coming up on July 29 in Sioux Falls as well as open houses in Sioux Falls on July 14 and in Canton on August 18.