NORWICH – Staying true to its mission of serving and helping the needs of the community, Calvary Baptist Church's three-year effort into establishing the Calvary Cares Counseling Center comes to fruition this month as the center's open house is slated for Saturday, October 21.

Located at 211 NY-320 in the Town of Norwich, Calvary Cares Counseling Center strives to be a resource for those in the community who are dealing with mental health issues.

“The goal is basically to reach the people of Chenango County with Christ-centered counseling,” said Dr. K. Skip Lewis, PhD with Calvary Cares.

“We don't use drugs to help people with mental health issues. We use therapies and intensive one-on-one counseling to help with over 41 mental health issues, including addiction and recovery.”

Establishing the center has been in the works for the last three years, according to Lewis, after Calvary Baptist Church Pastor Brian Conover made it known to Lewis that there is a great need for counseling in the area.

For three years, Lewis said they have been training their counselors at the Splendor Bible Institute Norwich chapter in preparation for the center's opening.