Nobody is ordered into Knox County Drug Court. That’s the part Olivia McCoy and Jordan Petersen want people to understand first.
The program is entirely voluntary — the courts don’t require anyone to join, and clients choose the program themselves. As they put it, a participant has to actually want to do this for it to work.
McCoy and Petersen, both with the program, joined Galesburg’s Morning News ahead of Saturday’s Quarter Auction, the program’s third, at the Knights of Columbus Hall.
Olivia McCoy and Jordan Petersen joined Galesburg’s Morning News on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026. Listen to the full interview below.
What Drug Court is
Knox County Drug Court began in 2008. It’s a voluntary, court-ordered, high-intensity supervision program that typically runs about 30 months, currently serving roughly 40 people. Participants must be adults facing a prison sentence with documented substance use issues.
The team includes a judge, the state’s attorney’s office, the public defender’s office, probation, law enforcement, and Bridgeway counselors. Participants report weekly, attend court weekly, and follow treatment recommendations including NA and AA meetings.
Even after entering, participants can leave the program at any time, though they’d then face their original prison sentence. To graduate, they need stable housing, employment, and a GED if they don’t already have one.
Success looks different for every client, according to the two. They pointed to participants who have regained custody of their children, bought homes, and moved into long-term careers.
A recurring part of the program is what staff call “clean, sober fun” — hockey and baseball games, pool days, and holiday events like pumpkin painting and Christmas gift exchanges for participants’ children.
Saturday’s Quarter Auction
The program’s third Quarter Auction is set for 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 1556 E. Fremont St. in Galesburg, with bidding starting at 5 p.m.
Paddles are $3 each or two for $5, and items go for one to eight quarter bids apiece. Organizers say they’ve topped 200 donated prizes this year, including a massage, golf for four at Lake Bracken Country Club, and sports memorabilia including a Quad City Storm jersey.
The event also includes a 50/50 raffle, a bake sale, and dinner by free-will donation. Proceeds fund the program’s sober activities throughout the year.
