Lowry

Lowry

LUMBERTON — The nonprofit Hope Alive that has been allocated $10 million in state funding to launch a drug treatment and rehab center near Parkton has named a familiar face as its new executive director.

Pembroke native Oryan Lowry, who has formerly served as Rowland town administrator and Pembroke town manager, has been named executive director of the nonprofit. Hope Alive is a nonprofit organization of Greater Hope International Church in Lumberton.

Lowry was previously dismissed from his role in Pembroke in 2014 after using the town’s credit card to make more than $1,000 in personal transactions, according to a report by The Robesonian at that time. Lowry told The Robesonian he had paid back the money owed and the total did not amount to $1,000.

“It was a mistake,” Lowry said.

He told The Robesonian on Thursday that he was in a hurry and meant to use his card, but mistakenly used the town’s credit card to make purchases before he boarded an airplane at the time.

“Mistakes happen, but I guarantee it’ll never happen again,” he said.

“I have redeemed myself in a way that is positive,” Lowry added.

Since his dismissal, he has worked with Rowland, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Lumbee Tribe Enterprises, and the town of Bladenboro, he said.

Lowry resigned from his role as Bladenboro town administrator on April 1 and will continue his duties through April 29 before taking on his new role with the nonprofit, Lowry said.

His first day on the job as executive director of Hope Alive will begin May 1 and he told The Robesonian he intends to “hit the ground running.”

And the job is personal for Lowry, he said.

Lowry said his half-brother passed away recently because of opioid addiction.

“I knew there was a huge need for the community,” he said.

Lowry also told The Robesonian he saw the job listing and the opportunity to work in his hometown, which led him to apply. The nonprofit’s headquarters is located in COMTech in Pembroke, he said.

“We feel with his local relationships and vast experience in dealing with Local and State Officials that he will be an asset to Hope Alive and the varied outreaches we are taking to address the opioid addiction pandemic that is raging in our county,” said Ron Barnes, pastor of Greater Hope International Church in Lumberton, in a statement to The Robesonian.

“His knowledge of grants and grant writing will be an added attribute and asset in assisting Hope Alive’s continued success in the future,” Barnes said.

The pastor also has faced scrutiny recently as multiple news reports stated that he previously served time for embezzlement.

“No one is perfect in every facet of their life. Certainly I’m not,” Barnes said.

“However, we realize that we are under intense scrutiny and we welcome it. Because, the work will prove it’s worth and we believe that it will have a profound effect on this County,” he said in a statement.

Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins said in March alone, the Sheriff’s Office responded to 60 overdose calls and seven overdose deaths. Also during March, deputies seized 19 pounds of cocaine, four grams of heroin and 319 pills. Officers also secured 30 drug arrest warrants in that month alone.

“We are honored for the opportunity to serve Robeson County in an effort to stem the tide of this demonic addiction that is plaguing our people,” Barnes said.

Hope Alive, which has not provided such medical care before, will partner with Robeson Health Care Corporation in the effort to provide services as mandated by state legislation.

The building, located at 1165 E. Parkton Tobermory Road near Parkton, was listed by Realty One Group and was pending under contract in February, a real estate official told The Robesonian at the time.

The building should include a residential facility that has phases including a detox crisis phase, residential treatment model and therapeutic community phase and an aftercare program that includes transfer to a center with peer support, according to Bart Grimes, chief of Behavioral Health at Robeson Health Care Corporation.

When completed, the center will be the first of its kind in the county.

“Hope Alive is scheduled to close on the facilities next week,” Barnes said.

Then renovations of the facilities can begin, he said.

Reach Jessica Horne at 910-416-5165 or via email at [email protected].