Ribbon Run focuses on abuse help, prevention

By Sean Barron

Plenty of help is available to those who admit having substance-abuse problems, a volunteer said.

WARREN — Bessie and Teresa Coker wanted to honor their mother, Frances, so they weren’t reluctant to go the extra mile on her behalf.

The sisters, along with their children, Lariah, 6, Malachi and Chardonnay Borruano, both 8, and Zariah, 10, spent part of their morning participating in a one-mile walk to honor Frances, who died after having smoked for most of her life.

Afterward, the youngsters hung a red ribbon, with her name attached, to the nearby “Tree of Remembrance and Hope” for the same purpose.

“I heard about this race through my church,” Bessie Coker said. “We just wanted to make a difference.”

Despite having been addicted to cigarettes for much of her life, Frances Coker was able to quit cold-turkey a few years before her death, Bessie said. Her main reason for giving up the habit was so that her grandchildren wouldn’t start, she continued.

The Coker family members were among about 180 people who registered for Saturday’s fifth annual Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention Run for the Ribbon event at Perkins Park off Mahoning Avenue.

Participants in the free walk and race, which is part of Make a Difference Day, chose a one-mile walk or 5K run to remember or support a loved one who has or is recovering from a substance-abuse problem. People took part also to remember a deceased loved one, to promote the benefits of a drug-free lifestyle and help the community, organizers said.

For about 30 years, Ken Lloyd has been recovering from what he calls “substance-use disorders,” and wanted to stress that a lot of help is available to those going through problems with alcohol and other drugs.

Lloyd, president and chief executive officer of Warren-based Community Solutions Association, noted that plenty of good area resources and peer support are available to anyone who needs them.

“[Substance abuse] is an important issue confronting our community on a daily basis,” he said.

Even though he didn’t walk or run, Tim Grimmett chose to be one of the estimated 30 volunteers who talked to and distributed information to passers-by.

Grimmett, who’s been in recovery for about 23 years, pointed out that people with such addictions can seek help way before hitting rock bottom. They need to take the first step by admitting the problem and know it’s OK to ask for help.

“There’s hope out there when you’ve had enough and want help,” said Grimmett, a member of United Auto Workers Union Local 1112 and an employee assistant with a work family program through General Motors.

Jane Timmins of Niles opted for the 5K run and was greeted at the end by 5-year-old Hailey Esposito, holding a sign and cheering her on. Hailey was with her mother, Chris, a close friend of Timmins’.

Timmins, an art teacher at Mathews Middle/High School who began long-distance running about 1 Ω years ago, said she took part as a way of supporting community efforts. Many members of her family contributed to the Warren area and she wanted to keep that tradition going, Timmins said.

Participants were asked to donate canned goods and other items, all of which will be distributed to the Warren Family Mission and Christy House in Warren, both of which help homeless people, noted Jill Lewis, one of the event’s coordinators.

Another goal of the event was to “spread the word that underage substance abuse is never acceptable,” Lewis noted. Parents can be held liable for their teens’ parties, and it isn’t enough simply to take the car key from the youngster, she continued, adding that such parties can lead to substance abuse.

“Parents can’t afford to host an underage drinking party — not for their kids or their pocketbook,” she added.