A day of fighting addiction
Published 9:53 am Tuesday, May 1, 2018
May 6 is slated to be a busy day for Middlesboro. Not only will the second annual Walk Away From Drugs event be held, but a Prayer Walk will also kick off.
The Walk Away From Drugs event will take place at the Middlesboro City Parking Lot from 1-5 p.m. and will feature free food, a DJ, guest speakers, a balloon and other activities.
The event’s co-founder, April Wallace, stated, “If people could just take a few hours of their time May 6 and come out to the event, and see and hear stories of people that have overcome addiction, and by seeing what has been done by just a few people coming together and trying to make a difference, just imagine if more people got involved…”
The Prayer Walk, held by Crater of Hope, a local organization created to combat substance abuse and work toward recovery, is also a demonstration to fight drug addiction in the community. The walk will begin at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Middlesboro and will head east on Cumberland Avenue toward 20th Street. At 20th Street, participants have the options to hang a left on the canal walk or continue straight ahead. For those who choose to walk the canal, Crater of Hope suggests walking the canal as many times as possible in silent prayer and then head back to Cumberland Avenue.
For those who choose to walk straight, there will be a prayer meeting at the First Presbyterian Church and then it takes Greenwood down to the United Methodist Church for prayer and then back to Cumberland Avenue to head toward the First Christian Church.
At the end of the walk, everyone is asked to gather at the city parking lot at 4 p.m.to meet and walk with recovering addicts. Church denominations do not matter, say organizers.