BY STEVE CRAIN

Special to The Pilot

Sandhills Teen Challenge recently held its 25th annual Christmas banquet on its Carthage campus, a 31-acre site serving as home for "a residential faith-based recovery program for men ages 18 and over with drug or alcohol problems." >

A reported 1,008 guests attended one of three banquets held at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 8, 9 and 10.

At the Dec. 10 banquet, guests filled the Sandhills Teen Challenge (STC) chapel/dinning hall. White-covered tables were decorated with poinsettias.

After the meal, Sal DiBianca, STC director, spoke. He and his wife, Debby, are graduates of the Teen Challenge International program.

"My wife and I are celebrating 25 years of ministry at this location," DiBianca said.

Debby DiBianca thanked STC supporters and volunteers, including Brad Roback, who teaches small engine repair; Bernie Markey, who teaches beginning carpentry; Merv and Maggie Mullet, who've prepared STC banquets for 22 years; Pastor Gregg Newton, who preaches at STC each Tuesday; and Sandhills Classic Car Club for staging STC benefit exhibitions. >

Sal DiBianca said Teen Challenge began in 1958 with the Rev. David Wilkerson's work in Brooklyn, N.Y. The Teen Challenge story is told in the book "The Cross and The Switchblade."

More than 200 Teen Challenge centers reportedly operate in the U.S. and 1,000 centers in 80 countries.

DiBianca said, "Bed capacity [on the STC campus] has gone from 24 to 38. An academic wing housing a computer literacy program (an extension of Sandhills Community College) and a vocational training facility have been built and programs launched."

The cost per day for each STC student is $47, which translates to $1,786 per year per student, DiBianca said, noting that the STC 2012 fundraising goal is $651,890.

DiBianca led the 24-member choir, made up of STC students Brandon DiBianca (vocals-guitar) and Jared Guden (bass guitar). The choir sang classics such as "Silent Night," "O Holy Night," and "The Little Drummer Boy."

Some STC graduates spoke:

Jerod said he grew up in a Christian home but started manipulating people, drinking and smoking "weed."

"By age 27, I was a heroin addict," he said. "I ended up here; my family lived in Charlotte. God changed my life. I have twins who live on the West Coast. I'm renewing my relationship with my wife. I'm not hurting ... not screwing people over."

Jerod said he's thinking about pursuing youth ministry.

A young man named Gordon said, "I tried to drink half a cup of bleach, just to get out of this world. I was tearing my family apart."

He referred to Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to ... give you hope and a future" (NIV).

"I've got something now, and I want to keep it," Gordon said. "I love the Lord."

STC choir members shared their names and information such as the following with the audience: A 40-year-old told of addiction to weed and alcohol; a 54-year-old said he spent 35 years with a crack addiction; a 32-year-old told of 21 years of alcohol, drug abuse and "a violent lifestyle"; a 25-year-old said he used drugs and alcohol for 12 years; an 18-year-old said he became meth-addicted.

DiBianca preached, gave banquet attendees opportunity to contribute funds, and concluded by saying, "May the peace of God that passes all understanding rest on you this Christmas."