By CAROLINE CARMICHAEL / Staff Writer

Celebrate Recovery is celebrating two years in Clanton on Sept. 18, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Clanton’s First United Methodist Church.

Ministry Leader Mickey Hardwick said anybody and everybody is invited to celebrate with the nonprofit organization, which aims to guide individuals through “hurts, habits and hang-ups,” using a 12-step, Bible-based curriculum.

“We actually kicked off two years ago, and it was Sept. 14 of 2015,” Hardwick said.

Hardwick said a home-cooked meal, provided by the Sunday school, will begin the celebration at 5:30 p.m. with a variety of dishes, including chicken alfredo pasta, hamburger steak with gravy and other tasty sides and desserts.

Special celebration highlights include live music from the Elevate Worship Team and a testimony shared by a special guest speaker from Glencoe, Alabama. Hardwick said the man has been in the Celebrate Recovery program for 12 years.

Hardwick said after dinner, guests can attend “large group” for a time, where they can worship, listen to the guest speaker’s testimony and learn valuable information from the program to apply personally.

Hardwick said that while the schedule reflects a typical program schedule, certain celebratory elements set it apart.

“We’re doing a theme for this anniversary — the ‘Shine Your Light’ — and we’re going to decorate a little bit and have a few little games,” Hardwick said, mentioning other plans for the evening are also in the making.

Hardwick said the live music also adds a unique flare to the event.

Guests of all ages are welcome to attend.

“It’s always open,” Hardwick said. “Any night is open to anybody — there’s never a closed night.”

For more information about Clanton’s Celebrate Recovery program, visit the organization’s Facebook page.