A day of prevention and recovery will be the focus as the “Step Out of the Darkness” event returns to East Central University and the Ada community on Saturday, Sept. 20.

This event is sponsored by the Brandon Whitten Institute for Addiction and Recovery at East Central University and the Pontotoc County Drug Free Coalition and is free and open to the public.

The Institute, which has local ties, celebrated its grand opening Sept 2., which also marked the 15th anniversary of the Institute’s founding. Notable attendees included Co-Founder Reggie Whitten, a former Seminole resident; Rachelle Whitten, Hannah Whitten, ECU President Wendell Godwin, and President Emeritus and Co-Founder John Hargrave, among others.

“Step Out of the Darkness” is an annual prayer march that begins at the Pontotoc County Courthouse and continues down Main Street toward ECU’s Centennial Plaza. The intention of the event is to shed light on truths about drug addiction and dependency.

Participants are encouraged to arrive and park near the Chickasaw Business and Conference Center between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. Buses will be shuttled to the Pontotoc County Courthouse Plaza during this time. Only strollers less than 11x11x44 are allowed on the bus. The rally and courthouse registration will be coordinated by Addiction & Behavioral Health Center.

Register before 10:30 a.m. and receive a free t-shirt, provided by Crosspointe Church. The “Step Out of the Darkness” march will then begin and conclude when participants reach the Chickasaw Business and Conference Center where a prevention and recovery rally will begin at 11:30 a.m. followed by food, games and karaoke at noon.

Booths providing information about substance abuse, prevention, treatment and recovery will be available. The winner of the karaoke contest will be announced, followed by a grand prize drawing that will take place at 1:30 p.m. Those who registered and participated in the prayer march are eligible for the grand prize.

For more information on this important event, please contact Holli Witherington, executive director of the Brandon Whitten Institute, at 580-559-5815.