By Kimberly Gasuras

Amanda Nichols has been in the same place many find themselves today: someone she loves with all her heart was addicted to drugs.

Nichols’s husband, Joe, battled his addiction for several years before finally getting clean.

“He is nine years clean. We started Project One as a way to give back and to help other families facing the same struggles,” Nichols said as she straightened a table of Project One T-Shirts at the Unity in the Community event at the Schine’s Art Park on Saturday.

Nichols said she wants people addicted to drugs to know that there are people who care and will help them leave the dark place they are in.

Project One was one of the sponsors of Unity in the Community, created by the Bucyrus Police Department and Operation Hope.

“We want addicts to know that we are here to get them into recovery,” said Santana Stamper of Operation of Hope. “Many local churches are participating in this event today and are also here to help addicts into recovery.”

Nichols said a prayer walk through Bucyrus neighborhoods is designed to let addicts know there is hope.

“We are meeting them on the streets,” Nichols said.

Stamper said Unity in the Community, that featured bouncy houses for children, live entertainment, food and information and resources, was a follow-up to the Hope Over Heroin event that took place a few months ago on Washington Square.

Robin Michaels of the Bucyrus Chapter of the Guardian Angels said that people may contact the Bucyrus Police Department or her group to seek recovery, also.

“Some do not want to interact with police. We don’t care if they have a warrant, we are here to help them, not put them behind bars,” Michaels said. “They can turn over their drugs and rigs to us with no questions asked and we will dispose of them properly.”

Michaels can be reached at 419-689-4188.

Mary Jean Hensley of Together We Hurt, Together We Heal said even though Crawford County has gone from number five in the state for overdoses to 58th, there is still work to be done.

“Unity in the Community is an example of many people and groups working together to combat drug addiction in our community. That is what has been happening for us to see a difference and it will continue. People still need help and we are here to ensure that they have the resources they need to get it,” Hensley said. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/ProjectOneRecoveryRoad or call the Bucyrus Police Department at 419-562-1006.