Local organization is Healing Hearts, Transforming Lives, and Changing Attitudes

On December 10, 2012 Pasco County awoke to the news of the tragic suicide of Jessica Laney (16). This news in and of itself is sad enough, however, Jessica’s story is not new to Pasco and the Tampa Bay area. Jessica was our sixth teen to succumb to the harsh peer and society pressures and uncertainty that many teens in America live with each day. Today’s social pressure especially on young girls is extreme. Our young people are dealing with multiple social issues and adult situations that too many do have either the coping skills or emotional maturity to handle. Children in Florida as young as 10 are committing suicide for a variety reasons this must stop. On January 19 crazy8freedom.org and Redeemer Community Church held their first public forum to help find a real solutions to the problems right here is Pasco County.

Since that night, the group that started the Stop the Pain Movement, have been working every day to find the answer to the million dollar question of how do we fix this epidemic that is hurting our children and teens?  Chris Mahan co-founder of crazy8freedom.org stated” we were looking for  positive ways to help children and teens express their emotions, we chose to  use the arts”. The arts such as music, acting, writing, and even video have been used in many parts of the world to help emotionally unstable young people communicate their emotions to adults and others. This Saturday, April 20 from 12-4 pm Crazy8freedom and Redeemer Community Church are hosting a Spring Fling “Express yourself though art and Christ”. This is an event filled with age appropriate art workshops for children and teens.  Many of the workshops are conducted by teens and young adults who themselves have experienced many of the negative social problems plaguing our children and teens today. “Their art helped them escape the mental prison that depression and fear traps our children and teens in stopping them form developing into their full potential we need to help them” Mahan said.  

To date the most difficult part of all this was the first phone call to the parents of Jessica. Mahan stated, “I knew it was going to be a difficult call to make, but I had to talk with the parents of Jessica, and let them know how much her passing affected us all”. The problem was how do I tell  Billie Jo and her husband Bill how much their daughter has moved me and my wife Dee, and now this community? ” Mahan and his wife Dee and Erica Saxon finally meet with Billie Jo Laney last Friday, and after a few tears the group all laughed and talked like they have been long time friends. That is her spirit, Jessica made everyone feel special, she is still with us” said Jessica’s mother Billie Jo.” The community is jumping on board to support crazy8freedom.org and the Stop the Pain Movement as well. Local support is coming from the Pasco Sheriff’s office, U.S. Congressman Gus Bilirakis, Republic Bank, the Pasco County School System, Chick-fil-A, Papa Murphy’s Pizza, Elite Martial Arts, PHCC, Florida Reps. Mike Fasano, Richard Corcoran, Florida state senator John Legg, Outback Steak House, Applebee’s, Zim Zari restaurant, Blackjack Marketing, along with several area non-for profits are all supporting the efforts of crazy8freedom.org.

Mahan is inviting the community out to enjoy this event. “We have a super concert with motivational hip-hop star Corey Thornton at 3:00 PM, kids love this guy” Mahan said. Corey has performed for over 750,000 elementary and middle school students in Florida.  Additional entertainment includes bounce house is a full petting zoo and pony rides. This is a fund raiser so the group is asking $3 for the pony rides but the other games are free. “We can turn this county around one child and one family at a time” Mahan said. Additional entertainment face painting, martial arts exhibits for kids, a petting zoo, bounce houses, art workshops the Chick-fil-A cow, and more.

To learn more call 727-271-7883 www. Rccspringfling.com www.crazy8freedom.org