By Betty Gandee

Showing that there are still good-hearted people out there, one church in the community is going above and beyond to reach out a helping hand to those who need it in many ways. Bethel United Methodist Church recently launched their Drug Addiction Recovery Program to offer help to those who are facing addiction.

On July 27, 2018 Ann Hammond-Williams came out to speak at a special meeting held to inform the public about this growing epidemic.  Ann, a recovering addict herself, spoke about her personal journey and how she now wants to help other addicts overcome the obstacles they face and get the help they need.  She spoke about her struggles and hopes to spread awareness, reduce stigma, and inform the public of programs available to help those battling addiction.

Not only is this church helping raise awareness about the drug epidemic, they are also very active in helping to feed Clay County. The setup has become a familiar sight as you enter Clay on Friday and Saturday mornings for the past six weeks. Bethel UMC has given away 12,000 pounds of fruit and produce in its efforts to spread the message of hope about the opioid epidemic.

The We the People Recovery Program is continually held on Thursdays. Ann Hammond is scheduled to hold a third addiction awareness seminar Friday, August 31, at 7 p.m.  For more information on the food giveaway and the recovery program you can follow the Bethel Ivydale UMC Facebook page or contact Pastor Paul Hopkins at 304-382-3486 and at bethelumchelp@gmail.com.