Speakers Circuit: Bennett and McLean to discuss Pathway To Freedom
Chuck Bennett and Scott McLean from Pathway To Freedom, Inc., will be the guest speakers when the Rotary Club meets at noon on Monday at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church.
Pathway To Freedom is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is a Christcentered holistic service program providing educational, values-based, pre-release services to prisoners on a voluntary and non-compulsory basis.
Through the program, prisoners are prepared to reintegrate into society and become productive citizens through the use of new and improved pro-social and life skills that will enhance family and social relationships, moral and spiritual development and employment opportunities.
On April 25, 2014, Bennett was inducted as an honorary member of The Pathway to Freedom for his demonstrated commitment to the program, excellence and the ongoing transformation process.
In May 2014 he graduated cum laude with his associate’s of applied science, majoring in process technology.
He is one of two associate pastors in his church.
He is a weekly volunteer at Union and Ouachita county jails, spreading hope through preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
He is also a weekly volunteer at The Pathway to Freedom, where he is currently facilitating Iron Sharpens Iron. He is involved in other community outreach ventures, as well as discipleship. He is married to Heather, and they have two sons, Mason and Aiden, as well as two four-legged family members, Ladybug and Roscoe.
McLean is a graduate of Oral Roberts University, where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in Biblical literature and a master of arts in marriage and family therapy.
In 2011, McLean became the founder and executive director of Pathway to Freedom, Inc.
McLean was employed with Prison Fellowship Ministries from 2000-2011, and served as director of the InnerChange Freedom Initiative program (IFI), in Arkansas from 2006-2011.
He served as the IFI reentry manager in Kansas from 2000-2005. In 2005, he served on the Reentry Subcommittee to Foster Prisoner Risk Reduction and Reentry under Kathleen Sebelius, the governor of Kansas.
McLean is an offender workforce development specialist through the National Institute of Corrections and a member of the American Corrections Association.
Donna Johnson, a health inspector, will be the guest speaker when the Kiwanis Club meets at noon on Wednesday at First Presbyterian Church.
She is a pastor’s child and is married to a pastor. Johnson has four sisters, five nieces and three nephews and loves to cook.
(Organizations interested in listing a speaker in Speakers Circuit should send information about the speaker to editorial@eldoradonews.com. A club member should provide background information on their speakers in writing or by e-mail to the News-Times. The deadline for submitting background information is 5 p.m. on Thursday for the following Sunday’s newspaper).