Despite Shelby County Treatment Center&8217;s turbulent beginnings, the 11-month-old methadone clinic treats patients who are giving back to the county and beyond, according to Director Susan Sidwell.

The treatment center, which many county officials and citizens opposed, began actively participating in fundraisers and community service in Jefferson and Shelby counties before doors ever opened.

&8220;We donate to Kid&8217;s One. We&8217;ve been doing that for two years,&8221; said Sidwell. &8220;Even before we were open we were donating to groups around here.&8221;

In the eleven months it&8217;s has been open, SCTC has donated money to a local softball team, Birmingham&8217;s City Stages and Childcare Resources, as well as another local softball team and a volleyball team. In the fall, SCTC patients and staff collected food items for Bridge Ministries.

Most recently, the center decorated a Christmas tree for Children&8217;s Hospital Gala, benefiting &8220;Big Surgeries for Little Kids.&8221; Patients and staff at SCTC bought a tree and covered it in snowmen ornaments, and it was sold that evening to a business. Every penny raised went to Children&8217;s Hospital.

&8220;The patients really want to give back,&8221; said Sidwell. &8220;They&8217;ve taken so much and now is an opportunity for them to give back, and that&8217;s what we see all the time.&8221;

Not only are patients giving back to the county, but this season they will be helping each other as well. An angel tree stands in the lobby of the center, with names of some financially burdened patients&8217; children. Toys already line the hallways of the center, donated by patients wanting to help their peers.

&8220;They have good hearts. We have a patient advisory board that even does things to try to help people if they don&8217;t have their dose money,&8221; said Sidwell.

The center gives visitors more than help with addiction by offering free Hepatitis A and B vaccines, free HIV and syphilis testing, GED classes and an open 12-step program for the entire community.

&8220;Really, we&8217;ve done a good service, and we are doing a good service,&8221; said Sidwell of the center. &8220;They come here they get their medicine, they get good treatment and they pay back to the community. They&8217;re awesome. We&8217;ve just had no problems.&8221;