Waukesha County Seeks Volunteers for Addiction Recovery Program

The county's peer-based AODA program needs more volunteers to lead group discussions.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Waukesha County is seeking volunteers for its peer-based AODA (Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse) program, which has been running for over 30 years. The program recently expanded to the Crisis Resource Center in Waukesha and the Lutheran Social Services Recovery Center in Oconomowoc, but the county needs more volunteers to lead group discussions.

Why it matters

The AODA program provides crucial peer-based support for individuals struggling with addiction in Waukesha County. Volunteers play a vital role in facilitating group discussions and helping people in recovery feel supported and connected to their community.

The details

The AODA program requires volunteers to have a minimum of one year of sobriety and active participation in a recovery program. Volunteers are asked to commit to facilitating at least one group per month. The county has recently expanded the program to new locations, but needs more volunteers, especially women, to lead discussions at the 20-bed treatment facility for women in Oconomowoc.

  • The AODA program has been in place in Waukesha County since 1982.
  • The county recently expanded the program to the Crisis Resource Center in Waukesha and the Lutheran Social Services Recovery Center in Oconomowoc.

The players

Dinah Van Krevel-Polzin

A dedicated AODA volunteer who has shared her story of sobriety with others in Waukesha County for more than 30 years.

John Kettler

The Waukesha County Human Services Coordinator who oversees the AODA volunteer program.

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What they’re saying

“What warms my heart is when I see people growing. I can see people growing just by the actions they take today vs where they were when they first got here.”

— Dinah Van Krevel-Polzin, AODA Volunteer (fox6now.com)

“When the numbers go down, they tend to take a few extra shifts, maybe volunteer twice a month or something like that.”

— John Kettler, Waukesha County Human Services Coordinator (fox6now.com)

“Just keep plugging along. Don't give up. Don't give up.”

— Dinah Van Krevel-Polzin, AODA Volunteer (fox6now.com)

What’s next

The county is actively recruiting new volunteers, especially women, to lead group discussions at the Lutheran Social Services Recovery Center in Oconomowoc.

The takeaway

The AODA program in Waukesha County provides a vital peer-based support system for individuals in recovery, but the program's success relies on volunteers who are willing to share their own stories of sobriety and help others on their journey to wellness.