The Greater Than Heroin Night hosted at Church on the Rise in Westlake, Wednesday, Nov. 8, raised almost $7,000 for a Faith Based Christian Drug Rehab Center called The Creation House in Elyria.
The rehab center has been the vision of Pastor Paul Grodell of Beyond The Walls Church in Elyria.
The evening brought together four area mayors along with those in the Christian community who are making a stand against Ohio’s heroin and opioid crisis.
The mayors who attended the event were Bay Village Mayor Paul Koomar, Rocky River Mayor Pamela E. Bobst, North Ridgeville Mayor G. David Gillock and Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough.
Ohio has become the epicenter for opioid overdoses.
Opioid overdose is the leading killer of Americans under 50. This is more than car crashes or gun deaths.
Someone dies every 50 minutes from an overdose. In 2016, an average of 11 people died each day from overdoses of heroin, fentanyl or other drugs.
Mark Busch of Busch Funeral Homes said that number will be greatly increased for 2017, making it the worst year ever for the disease.
In 2015, the BBC interviewed Mark about Ohio’s epidemic of overdoses because it was so high then.
Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough spoke about the tragedy of losing his nephew to an overdose. “It doesn’t leave any family untouched,” he said.
Mayor G. David Gillock of North Ridgeville said the epidemic is hard on the first responders. They are seeing the same people over and over.
An Elyria doctor said he is seeing 2 to 3 patients with an overdose every day on his shift. “Drug addiction is a disease. They have no chance of fighting it on their own,” he said.
Pastor Paul Grodell said, “This all looks like a hopeless situation, but we know who has the answer. All hope is found in Jesus Christ.”
He has been given a vision of a faith-based rehab center where people will be able to live for up to a year while getting the support they need.
They have already purchased the building in Elyria. They are raising funds to establish services. A faith-based rehab center in San Antonio, Texas has an 80% success rate.
If you want to donate or find out more information about the rehab center, please contact Pastor Paul Grodell at Beyond The Walls Church, 101 Woodford Ave., Elyria, OH 44035, 216-778-9701.
You can also find them on Facebook. Or contact Church on the Rise at 440-808-0200.