STOP THE VIOLENCE
Harris Family Ministries hosts ninth annual anti-violence rally
POTTSTOWN » Community members are refusing to accept drugs and violence in their neighborhoods and they came out to show it on Saturday.
Harris Family Ministries and several other community churches and organizations braved the heat to hold the ninth Stop the Drugs Stop the Violence event on Saturday in Riverfront Park.
“Our main concern is not just to promote awareness because I think people have been reading the headlines so they’re aware of what’s going on in terms of the drugs and violence issue in Pottstown,” said Valerie Jackson. “We’re here to make an impact and to be serious about bringing about change.”
The event brought together people from area churches including Bethel AME Church, Second Baptist Church and New Life Assembly of God. It also brought in assistance from organizations including the Women’s Center of Montgomery County, Montgomery County Public Defenders, Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities and the Christian Collegian Network.
“Christian Collegian Network is a college campus ministry and our goal is to evangelize the lost and disciple the found. We do that specifically with college campuses” said Andre Goff with the Christian Collegian Network. “We have about eight different chapters of the Christian Collegian Network in different states like New York, New
Jersey and all around the United States. Some people want to do more than just party and some people have other interests but we provide a biblical outreach to teach how to evangelize the lost and disciple the found.”
The crowd at the park Saturday enjoyed music by DJ Mark “Star” Farson and food provided by Wegmans in Collegeville, Hatfield Meats of Clemens Food Group, Berks Meats of Reading, Wawa and other individual donors.
The event included panel discussions with Rev. Georgiana Harris of Harris Family Ministries, Ryan Oxenford, principal at Barth Elementary, the Pottstown Police Department and Dean Beer, lead Montgomery County public defender.
“We want people to understand that there are things that they can do, even if it’s something small, whether it’s calling an anonymous tip line, leaving your front porch light on, confronting someone if you’re comfortable with it. We also want people to start with training their young children. If you train your young children, when they get older, the hope is that they will not fall into a life of crime and addiction. So no matter who you are, there’s something that everyone can do and that’s what we want to bring here today,” said Jackson.
“We do this because we’re not going to stop until we eradicate addiction in the greater Pottstown area and then it’s going to be like a virus and spread beyond,” added Rev. Georgiana Harris.