METH AWARENESS RALLY PLANNED AT WESTWOOD

Dr. Mary Holley, founder of the national organization, Mothers Against
Methamphetamine, will be in Cleveland Saturday to speak to the
Cleveland/Bradley Meth Awareness Rally at Westwood Baptist Church.

The event will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. at the church pavilion, and will
include music, free soft drinks and fun activities for children.

Sponsored by the Bradley County chapter of the Mothers Against
MethAmphetamine prayer support group, organizer Brittany Bowman, who leads
the chapter, said the purpose of the event is to "educate and inform the
public about the dangers and realities of methamphetamine."

Holley, the featured speaker, had a brother who was addicted to meth for
several years before committing suicide at the age of 24. In 2002, she
wrote and distributed literature to educate the public about
methamphetamine and other drugs. Through her own funding, she established
MAMa, which offers a Christian response to this overwhelming drug problem
and has chapters across the nation.

Other speakers at the rally will include Chief Bill Griffith of the Bradley
County Sheriff's Office; Assistant District Attorney Sandra Donaghy; Mike
Hall of the 10th Judicial Drug Task Force; and members of the Meth Task
Force. Personal testimonies will also be given from those who've been
directly affected by meth, including Vickie Lee, whose son was killed by a
meth addict.

Bowman stressed that the event, as well as meetings of the local MAMa
chapter, are for everyone - not just mothers - including addicts, family
members, friends and people who just want to help.

The support group meets every other Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Westwood Baptist
Church in the fellowship hall. The next meeting will be held Aug. 23.

Guests at the rally are encouraged to bring lawn chairs - and a friend,
Bowman said.

For more information, contact Bowman by e-mail at Forgivenblb509@yahoo.com,
or call the church office at 472-1534.