BUCYRUS — A large group of people braved the chilly fall weather and made their way down Sandusky Avenue on Saturday morning for the Ninth Annual Community Care March.
The event was founded by Together We Hurt, Together We Heal to help combat the drug epidemic that has plagued small towns across the country for the past decade.
“We continue to do this event to bring awareness about the drug epidemic,” said Mary Jean Hensley of the Together group. “We want to educate the community about this disease and bring hope and encouragement to those in addiction, and their families, that recovery is possible. We are determined to be relentless in not giving up on our community.”
Hensley said Crawford County is a community that stands up to believe that there is healing for the disease of addiction.
“This is the only disease that holds a stigma. The guilt and the shame that the addict carries with them is like no other,” Hensley said. “Let’s break that stigma and help them to realize that there is hope and healing and that recovery is possible and beautiful.”
Several speakers told of their experiences with drug addiction when the walk ended at Bucyrus City Hall which included former Lt. Governor of Ohio, Mary Taylor, who is the mother of two sons who have dealt with addiction.
She told her story and helped to encourage other mothers dealing with similar situations and how they can make their way through it to provide the best support for their addicted children.
Several local groups were available with information for people in need of help, including the Together group and Operation Hope through the Bucyrus Police Department.
Chief Dave Koepke reiterated that people may come to the department for help with addiction, even if they have a warrant.
“We will work hard to get them into recovery,” Koepke said during the event.
Hensley said she believes in the community and its resilience against addiction.
“Doing nothing is not an option. God bless us all,” Hensley said.