Drug addiction and overdose impact thousands of people and their families every day, and one Beaufort County ministry has a message to those who struggling with these issues: you are not alone.

For the past two years, Chocowinity-based catering company Same Power Ministries has hosted a special event on the shores of the Pamlico River called Shine the Light. Bringing together faith, music and resources for those struggling with addiction, the event has grown each year and will return to Washington’s Festival Park on Aug. 10.

“It doesn’t matter who you are, what church you go to, if you don’t go to church, if you just moved here and don’t know anybody, every single person is invited,” event organizer Wendy Temple said. “The more people that can get there, the more that will hear what is offered. A lot of people don’t like talking about addiction, because it brings shame, but so do a lot of other things. We just want people to get the help they need. All of us need somebody.”

Shine the Light started two years ago, when C.R. Temple was talking with a Christian devotion group called Brothers in the Field about what could be done to address the issue of drug addiction in the community.

“They were talking about how we need to help kids that are struggling with drugs and alcohol, and a lot of times they feel like they have nowhere to turn,” Wendy Temple recalled. “C.R. said something to the effect of, ‘We need to quit waiting for somebody else to do it, and we need to do it.’ Before the meeting finished that night, he said, ‘I’m going to do it, and I need y’all’s help.”

Two years later, the event is going strong. Scheduled from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., this year’s Shine the Light will be the biggest ever, not just in length, but in the amount of resources available. Among the support groups there to lend an ear will be Reformers Unanimous of Greenville, Passages, Reach Recovery, Craven County’s Hope, Celebrate Recovery and First Baptist Church of Chocowinity.

“Just knowing who you can call on if you have any questions is helpful to the community,” Temple said.

All the day’s fellowship is completely free for attendees, including free food and live music from five bands. All attendees need to bring is a lawn chair or blanket to sit on. To help make the event a success, Same Power Ministries is looking for donations from the community. Still needed for next weekend’s event are:

• Two whole 150-pound pigs
• Hams
• Condiments
• Three gallons of hot sauce
• Five boxes of three-pound trays (500/box at Sam’s Club)
• Five boxes individual Reynolds wrap sheets
• 1,000 Hot Dog Buns
• 1,000 Hamburger Buns
• Up to 2,000 individually bagged chips (250 bags already donated)
• 2,000 Canned Drinks (250 already donated)

“We can’t do it on our own, so we appreciate the help we get from everyone in the area,” Temple said.

Those who wish to donate either food or funds for the 2019 Shine the Light event can contact Wendy Temple via email at wendy5temple@gmail.com or by phone at 252-402-9841.