Terry Massey, Eddie Lee Ivery, Jeff Epperson

It’s not often enough that we get to take a break and truly be inspired by individuals for a good cause.  This past Saturday evening, the AmeriStride executive team was privileged to attend a fund raiser for The Center of Hope, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving those who can not serve themselves with counseling services in the areas of:

• Marriage/Family
• Depression and Post Traumatic Stress
• Attention Deficit Disorders
• Loneliness
• Stress
• Critical Incident Stress Management
• Addictions (drug, alcohol, pornography and more)
• Career
• Ongoing and specialized workshops for:  Grief, marriage, divorce, spiritual guidance, gender issues, abuse, premarital and a host of other services designed to meet individual needs.

There was not a dry eye in the audience as keynote speaker Eddie Lee Ivery, fromer Georgia Tech and Green Bay Packer star, told of his battle with drug and alcohol addiction and how it almost destroyed his life.  He told how a group similar to The Center for Hope along with the mercy and grace of God came to his rescue.  Eddie went from a Green Bay Packer tailback to being homeless and all alone due to his addictions.  Today Eddie Lee is a teacher and football coach making a significant difference in the lives of young men.

The night was capped off with a surprise speech from Dr. Nancy Martin who has valiantly fought stage four cancer this past year.  At this time last year Dr. Martin could not speak or walk and was not expected to live much longer.  Not only is she still with us but she is back counseling at the Center For Hope.  She attributes her recovery as nothing short of a miracle and assured the audience that God was still in the miracle business and answering prayers today.

It was a great evening.  It put things into proper perspective and made one more aware and grateful for the many blessings that they had experienced in their lifetime.  Everyday is truly a gift, don’t waste it.

By:  Terry L. Massey

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