By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

IN an effort to fund the cost of therapy services for persons who are unable to provide payment, the Christian Counselling Centre (CCC) will host its first competitive fun run/walk on April 22. 

Early registration has now started at the centre, which is located at #58 Collins Avenue. Persons can register on Mondays through Fridays between the hours of 9am and 5pm. Donations are $20 per person. The event will kick off at 6.30am next Saturday.

For decades now, the CCC has opened its doors, responding to the great need for help by drug addicts and their families. After providing treatment for substance abuse issues for two years, the centre shifted its focus to providing family support services.

The non-profit company is managed by an interdenominational board of directors, and comprised of leading business and professional persons in the community.

Martha Albury, CCC’s director of fundraising, said the centre’s purpose is to help hurting people by providing professional counselling and educational resources that inspire growth in a relationship with God, others and self, in an accepting, caring, confidential environment.

Counselling services are offered to anyone for spiritual, emotional, social, behavioural, interpersonal, pre-marital, marital, relational, family, job, and AIDS related issues. “The centre’s sources of income are client fees based on a sliding scale. Special fundraising activities, individual, corporate, church support includes one-time donations, memorials, estate donations or pledges given at regular intervals,” Ms Albury explained.

“I did a run/walk with another organisation before and this gave me the motivation to organise one for the centre.”

She said the CCC believes that with more persons focusing on living healthy by the way of running and walking is a good way to help those in need. The fundraising committee organises at least one or two events annually; these events can take the form of cook-outs, walk-a-thons, banquets, silent auctions and concerts.

For the centre’s 30th anniversary last year, members held a banquet and honoured several persons who had given their time and services to the CCC.

“At the upcoming event I am looking forward to a great turn-out to help the centre, and I would like to do this annually,” said Ms Albury.

For more information, visit the website www.cccbahamas.org.