Scott Carpenter
Wednesday, March 18, 2026 1:33 pm
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Walker Kirkpatrick was released from prison about two weeks ago. Determined to change his life for the better, Kirkpatrick turned to U & I Enrichment & Recovery Center in Forest City. Kirkpatrick, according to board member and volunteer Leslie Smith, is precisely the type of individual the organization is seeking to help.
After meeting him for the first in-person interview on March 12, Smith said that she sees hope.
"I see hope, because I know that it can be done. I know from experience, a person can turn their life around," she said.
Smith speaks from first-hand experience. Smith overcame a history of substance abuse, had a few run-ins with law enforcement, and even spent a few weeks in the county jail.
But for the past nine years, she has been clean. Smith works for a community support agency, has a family, and now spends an average of five hours each week volunteering at the Recovery Center.
Smith has been on the U & I Enrichment & Recovery Center board since it was formed in August, 2021.
"There have been dozens of men and women who have come through the center, and received assistance," Smith said. "They all need direction, and information. Some need help making connections. They all need encouragement, and they need to know there are people and organizations that can help them find success."
U & I Enrichment & Recovery Center was a dream of William and Brenda Logan. William Logan works as a chaplain at the state prison in Spindale, while Brenda Logan once operated a daycare facility where the recovery center is now located. They have long shared a passion for helping others.
William Logan knows the difficulties people face when they are initially released from incarceration. Many, he said, have no family support, no direction, and very little hope.
He wants the recovery center to be a place of hope, a place of change, and a place where connections are made.
The recovery center has taken a step forward, and recently hired its first paid staff person, Abreainn Terry. She, along with the volunteers, hold various support meetings, while connecting the clients to resources and services specific to their individual needs.
The organization is faith-based, and those associated with the recovery center see their work as a calling.
Statistics indicate that 30 to 40% of those who are released from incarceration may indeed be rearrested within two years. The recovery center officials acknowledge that becoming an independent, productive citizen can be challenging for the clients.
"I know there will be setbacks," Smith said. "If you look for excuses to fail, you will find them. But I also know that they can learn to again make the right decisions for their lives, they can make good choices and have better outcomes."
Accountability, Smith says, is key. Walker Kirkpatrick agrees. He said having people in his life, who understand his situation and can help hold him accountable, will increase his chances for success.
Kirkpatrick is 53 years old.
"I first got in trouble with the law, when I was 11 years old," Kirkpatrick said. "Me and another boy were convinced by a much older man, to break into a building. That is when it started."
"I made one stupid choice after another," Kirkpatrick explained. "My pattern was to simply run, rather than face the consequences. That only made everything worse."
He spent years in youth detention centers, and later in jails and prisons, for a variety of offenses. There were periods when he was not incarcerated, and lived a stable life. But Kirkpatrick made more bad decisions.
"I know how to mess up. I don't want that anymore," he said. "Spending time in prison, will always be a part of my past. But I don't want that to define me going forward."
"God gives me hope," Kirkpatrick continued. "I want to do God's will. Relying only on my will, has gotten me into trouble."
U & I Enrichment & Recovery Center is working to help clients find jobs, find stable housing, and reconnect to society. The center officers support groups, counseling, and accountability.
"Places like this, give people opportunity to live differently," Kirkpatrick said. "It helps us find direction. I am very grateful."
Though he has some family members out of state, who are eager to see him, Kirkpatrick believes for now, he is where he should be. He aims to find employment and establish good habits, while making better decisions for his life.
U & I Enrichment & Recovery Center is located at 119 West Main Drive in Forest City. For additional information call 828-624-1305 or visit www.uandienrichmentcenter.org.