A story of inspiration will welcome attendees for a new project this weekend at Calvary Baptist Church in Elizabethton.
To kick off the new year, the local church will open up their inaugural women’s ministry class in conjunction with Carter County Drug Prevention Coalition. According to Jilian Reece, CCDP director, the class gets underway Saturday, Jan. 6, from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
Food and refreshments will be offered during the event but the first guest speaker of the event will be Jesse Righi, one of the individuals highlighted in CCDP’s 30-minute documentary, “Faces of Addiction.”
Directed by local videographer Josh Wilson, “Faces of Addiction” highlights the tales of three individuals, including Righi, as they combatted addiction and overcame, built new lives for themselves and share their stories to inspire others going through trying times.
“Her story really is inspiring,” Reece said. “We’re excited to have her come by for the first event.”
Having the ability to offer an inspirational story also goes in conjunction with the state’s push to offer faith-based initiatives to those battling through addiction.
According to the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services website, faith-based initiatives are “an opportunity for places of worship and fellowship to support and strengthen families in their communities by offering recovery programs to help individuals beat their addictions.”
The state is engaging faith communities and organizations across the state to join along, free of charge, to offer outreach, educational activities, access and visibility to those seeking substance abuse services.
The women’s ministry will be a regular event hosted by Calvary, Jilian said. As a member of the church, Reece added she was excited to work alongside the church and to see the facility offer an outlet for women to worship and take continual steps to combat different issues in the region.
To RSVP for Saturday’s event, call (423) 542-8662.