The 7th Annual Joe Davis Run for Recovery drew hundreds on Saturday to Walter Elisha Park in Fort Mill.
The top 5K winners were Steven DeCillis, 50, of Charlotte, with the best time for men of 17:05:65 and Tessa Taylor, 35, of Rock Hill, with the best female time of 19:59:15. The top 10K winners were Trent Morrow, 44, of Charlotte, with the best time for men with 37:21:82 and Amanda Ghent, 36, of Rock Hill, with the best female time of 42:40:73.(Complete race results here.)
Minutes before the start, racers heard from a woman who has been sober for 13 months with the help of Keystone Substance Abuse Services, which benefits from the charity run. Here is the woman’s testimony:
“About a year and a half ago, I was hopeless and miserable and I lost everything. I was about to be homeless, and I had family down here. And my cousin, who graciously opened their doors to me, had participated in this run many times, so they knew about Keystone. I arrived here on a Tuesday. On Wednesday, I went to Keystone for my assessment, and the following Monday, I started in their Women’s day program. Keystone gave me a place where I felt safe and I could talk about what I was struggling with. They taught me tools to live life and gave me a foundation for my recovery. Today, I am very active in AA. I just celebrated 13 months of sobriety. My life today, I couldn’t have even imagined what my life could be like. It is so much better than anything I had ever thought. I have so many friends and such a support group. I have my immediate family and my kids back in my life now. I have the best job I ever had. And I get to wake up every single day not a slave to my addiction anymore. And I thank you guys for coming out here and saving one life at a time.”
The Joe Davis Run for Recovery is a 10K/ 5K run in honor of a young man named Joe Davis whose life was cut short due to addiction. This year’s event & T-shirt also honored York County Sheriff’s Office Det. Mike Doty, who was killed in January 2018.
Participating in the annual race directly benefits Keystone. Keystone was established in 1969 as a private, not-for-profit organization that serves as the Act301 (1973) substance abuse authority in York County, S.C. Keystone offers nationally accredited and licensed services, including education, prevention and treatment (both outpatient and inpatient), to meet the needs of individuals, families, and groups in York County and surrounding areas experiencing alcohol and/or drug related problems.
Here are some photos from the event.
