Lights of Hope program set Saturday at courthouse

Thursday, September 7, 2017

In honor of National Recovery Month, a special program in support of those struggling with addiction as well as those lost is set for Saturday, Sept. 9 at the Putnam County Courthouse.

Lights of Hope is a nationwide campaign organized by The Addict’s Mom in which ceremonies are hosted by local chapters throughout the United States.

On Sept. 9, candles burn bright as beacons of hope for the 22.7 million Americans addicted to drugs.

It Putnam County the program, organized by Sheila Workman Holloway and Marian Patience Harvey, is set for 4:30-7:30 p.m. at the courthouse in downtown Greencastle.

The Addict’s Mom hopes to highlight:

• The lack of available resources specifically structured to care for, curtail, and combat addiction issues.

• Campaigns for foundations, such as hospitals, to increase their efforts in treating those plagued by addiction.

• Information that is available to those struggling with addiction about where they can receive help

• The fact that recovery is possible.

• The need to never lose hope.

Lights of Hope is an offer extended to all to step out of the shadows of shame and stigma and raise their voices as one by lighting three candles to spotlight September as National Recovery Month.

One candle represents those in active addiction, the next celebrates addicts in recovery, and the last speaks for those who have perished. Together the tapers embody the hope that one day this national epidemic of death and despair will end.

An extremely painful and private battle, most addicts and their families suffer alone.

When Barbara Theodosiou found out that two of her four children had fallen prey to addiction, she knew she had to do something. That something was to announce, very bravely, to the world that she was an addict’s mom and she was not going to hide in shame, but she was going to be there to help every mother like her cope with this beast that was destroying her children and family.

There are no breaks, no holidays and no vacations from this heart-wrenching disease in which children are being engulfed. The legal system is housing these broken children in their jails and they are not equipped to handle them nor their disease.

Her crusade, now called The Addict’s Mom, a burgeoning Facebook community, is a home for mothers to share their hopes, fears and grief without shame.

The Addict’s Mom, now 85,000 strong, takes pride in bolstering battered spirits, sharing the minuscule amount of community resources available, and offering support where once there was none.

The public is invited to join and light candles of hope for a loved one.

For more information, contact Holloway at 719-0359 or holloways1968@yahoo.com or Harvey at 721-7739.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: