GALION — About 30 people from across the county met at the Big Four Depot in Galion on Saturday for the Eighth Annual Community Care March sponsored by Together We Hurt, Together We Heal.

The group made its way down Harding Way to raise awareness about drug addiction and recovery.

According to statistics from the Bucyrus Police Department, in 2017 there were 17 overdose fatalities in Crawford County, 4,854 throughout the state and more than 72,000 in across the country. In the past month, Bucyrus Police officers have responded to seven incidents and deployed Narcan to revive the people involved.

Brad DeCamp, director of the Marion-Crawford ADAMH Board, said he and the board are proud to support the efforts of the Together group in raising awareness about addiction and recovery.

“Family support is a critical component of recovery,” DeCamp said. “Without it, the gains realized from inpatient treatment or detox or counseling will be limited.”

DeCamp said the ADAMH Board is partnering with Bucyrus Police Department, Together We Hurt, Together We Heal and Crawford County Public Health to develop a team to respond to overdose survivors in the community to prevent additional overdoses.

Mary Jean Hensley, one of the co-founders of the Together group, said those who have suffered addiction or love someone addicted need to educate people who have not had the experience.

“I would say that God is the only true healer and prayer is the key to beating this demon,” Hensley said. “Addiction affects everyone, and it will take everyone to beat it.”

Hensley has coined the phrase, “Doing nothing is not an option,” and said she lives up to it.

In addition to helping create the Together group, she has assisted numerous people in combatting their addiction and has provided much-needed support for the loved ones of addicts.

“The Community Care March is one of the ways to reach out to others while providing support and increasing awareness about addiction,” Hensley said. “I thought the event was awesome and was blessed to be a part of it.”

For more information about the Together group, visit its Facebook page.