By Joseph Shay

I am writing this letter to the editor as an open letter to Ocean Shores City Council Position 3 candidate Shannon Rubin. I have a few questions for Ms. Rubin about her statement regarding the Ocean Shores Convention Center in which she states that, “Personally, I do not consider Clean and Free the type of clientele we should be going after.”

Before I ask those questions I would like to give some full disclosure. I am not a resident of Ocean Shores so I have no skin in this election. I am, however, aside from my time in college, a lifelong Harborite and have spent a bit more time on the Harbor than Ms. Rubin. I also am the son-in-law of one of the founders of Clean and Free and therefore have a certain bias in favor of the group.

With that said I must ask Ms. Rubin, “What is your issue with Clean and Free? Of all the groups that use the Ocean Shores Convention Center on an annual basis why single them out? Also, have you ever met anyone associated with Clean and Free, or Narcotics Anonymous for that matter? Why are they not the type of clientele you want to see using the Convention Center?”

I pose these questions because Ms. Rubin does not give answers to them and I would like to understand better her reasoning. She seems to suggest that it’s a matter of finance when she says, “When we have events or groups we want them to be able to spend disposable income at our hotels, shop and restaurants. We do not need events in which they need to pool funds to even attend.”

With all due respect Ms. Rubin I think you are way off the mark here. While I do look forward to an explanation of your reasoning let me tell you a bit about what I have come to know about the Clean and Free group.

The Clean and Free group are made up of some of the nicest, give you the shirt of their backs, kind of people I have ever met. These are men and women who have struggled with the demons of addiction and rely on one another for strength and solidarity to keep those demons at bay. They are a brotherhood and sisterhood of people just like you and me and they share a bond unlike anything I have ever witnessed. I see this when people find out who my father-in-law is. They tell me how much they love him and how much they owe him as an NA brother or how he saved their lives as their sponsor. These men and women are building and rebuilding their lives together and the Clean and Free event allows them to come together and share their stories and support each other and if I were you Ms. Rubin I would be very proud to support that.

Lastly, allow me to address your argument about finances. It is my understanding that when the Clean and Free group are in Ocean Shores there is not a hotel or motel room to be had in the entire city as they have them completely booked. That sounds pretty profitable to me. Aside from lodging, the men and women of Clean and Free spend money at the fine restaurants in Ocean Shores and while they don’t drink alcohol I can assure you they enjoy a fine meal. They also visit other local merchants and take in the sights to be had on the beach. Clean and Free, plain and simple, makes the City of Ocean Shores money every year it is at the Convention Center and to me, at least, they are the perfect example of the kind of clientele that should be using the Convention Center. If Ms. Rubin would like to learn more about Clean and Free I would be happy to put her in contact with a member of the organization to answer any questions she may have.

Thank you to Clean and Free and to Narcotics Anonymous, for without you I would not have my in-laws or my wife and I am grateful every day to have them in my life.

Joseph Shay is a resident of Cosmopolis