“It’s really reached out to some folks,” said Ferrell, who added the purpose of the event is to prayer for those addicted to heroin.
Each week, a different pastor leads the prayer service, Ferrell said. This week’s service will be led by Daryl Calhoun from the Middletown Area Salvation Army and Ferrell said he has pastoral commitments through May.
Ferrell said workers at Atrium Medical Center and the Middletown Division of Police are reporting a significant drop in heroin overdoses, though it’s too early to see if the perceived trend is true.
“We are seeing some things happening and that’s exciting,” he said. “God is working His ministry.”
Earth Day activities Saturday
Keep Middletown Beautiful is hosting the city’s annual Earth Day activities Saturday throughout downtown. Volunteers are asked to report to the City Building, One Donham Plaza, at 8 a.m. and work until noon. This year’s event will focus on education and cleaning up the city’s downtown.
The education series runs from 8:30 to 11 a.m. in the lower level police training room and City Council chambers.
All volunteers will be given a T-shirt, gloves and garbage bags to use for the day. Dump trucks and Dumpsters will be located in strategic locations downtown. A free lunch will be served to volunteers at noon in the City Building.
For more information, call Jeff Michel, executive director at Keep Middletown Beautiful, at 513-465-2675.
Facade grant deadline May 15
The deadline to apply for a facade grant through Downtown Middletown Inc. is May 15.
The program is a business rehabilitation tool designed for building and property owners to use to repair or replace their building facades. The program is a 50/50 matching grant program and is designed primarily for downtown buildings.
The program will match up to 50 percent of the total facade project cost and only after completing the entire project will the applicant be reimbursed their awarded amount.
For more information, call DMI Director Mallory Greenham at 513-217-4573 or email downtownmiddletown@gmail.com.
Heroin summit, HOPE events scheduled
The third, and final, heroin summit has been set for 9 a.m. to noon April 27 at Atrium Medical Center and the third Hope Beyond Ferguson, Mo., is scheduled for 6 p.m. April 30 at Holy Family Parish, 201 Clark St.
The third Hope series is entitled: “Righteousness, Justice and Peace.”
Organizers of a three-part dialogue series and the Middletown Division of Police department have said they hope to prevent the unrest that was seen in Ferguson, Mo., by improving communications between the police and the community.
Katrina Wilson, founder of Freedom Community Development Corp., is organizing the series that is free and open to the public. Middletown Police Chief Rodney Muterspaw and his officers have participated in the first two series.
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