LIMA — Lima’s Catholic schools wrapped up Positive Addiction Week Friday with guest speaker Liz Ferro and a 5K run at St. Charles school Friday.
Different events were scheduled each day to encourage positive habits among the students.
“Positive addictions last a lifetime,” said St. Charles administrative assistant Mary Beth Krumel.
Krumel said the program began in 1986 behind the efforts of two former teachers, Mary Brinkman and Diana Ireland. The schools now collaborate each year on the event.
Ferro, a national fitness guru, has received national attention with her non-profit organization, Girls with Sole. Ferro has participated in more than 60 marathons and countless other events. She has run a marathon in 49 of 50 states and will complete that mission in July.
Ferro used the word p-o-w-e-r as a five-point achievement to having positive outcomes, perseverance, optimism, wisdom, energy and resilience.
“It is better to have positive energy to overcome your obstacles,” Ferro said. “How you use your energy becomes how you live your life. The key is to be powerful enough to bounce back and recover. You have the power.”
The other events throughout the week included David Kohout as opening speaker Monday. Kohout discussed positive habits and cutting off relationships that may make it harder to stay on the right path.
The Lima Police Department gave a K-9 demonstration on Tuesday, and the students also heard presentations from Sarah Heitmeyer on human trafficking and Lisa Ashafa on opiod and and heroin addiction.
Wednesday, students attended life skills and healthy alternative workshops at St. Charles.
On Thursday, students heard about the Safy Drop In Center, eating disorders and healthy eating, and also heard a presentation from Marjean Warren from Allen County Juvenile Drug Court.
Ethan Truex from St. Gerard, John Sreenan from St. Charles and Erika King from St. Rose were honored with the Jeff Muskus Memorial Award. The award is in memory of Muskus, who died 24 years ago from a blood disease.
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