Addiction Speaker Planned For Ocean City On Saturday

OCEAN CITY — With the scourge of heroin and opiate addiction hitting closer to home seemingly every day, a hard-hitting presentation is planned Saturday in the resort that will help continue to hammer the message home.

Live Wire Media, Kids are Dying Delmarva and The Dispatch will host critically acclaimed guest speaker Michael DeLeon for an inspiring and heart-felt presentation on the ongoing battle against the heroin and opiate addiction epidemic sweeping the nation and this community.

For the last 15 years, DeLeon, an addict himself, has worn out the tires on his vehicle taking his message to schools and community gatherings throughout the mid-Atlantic region and across the country. On Saturday, DeLeon brings his message to the Roland E. Powell Convention Center at 1 p.m. The presentation is free and will be followed by a question-and-answer period.

Brad Hoffman of Live Wire Media, which produces a variety of special events including car shows and surf contests and everything in between, conceived of the idea of bringing DeLeon to Ocean City after meeting with long-time friend Ruthie Chavis, who is fighting her own battle with addiction in her family. Chavis showed Hoffman a video presentation from DeLeon and Hoffman knew he had to reach out to the motivational speaker.

Hoffman said he conceived of the idea after a couple of heroin overdose deaths hit particularly close to home. Not sure how to help or where to start, Hoffman headed to social media to help get the word out about the growing epidemic.

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