MANCHESTER – They walked, they ran and they rocked – all for a good cause during the 17
th
Annual America’s Keswick Family Freedom Walk which had the goal of raising $300,000 to rebuild lives and families impacted by addiction.
The event featured hundreds of participants and was followed by an awards ceremony and a softball game. Keswick is a Christian addiction recovery center and conference center. The weekend also served as recovery graduate reunion with many coming out to the walk with their families and friends.
They walked around the scenic campus and enjoyed snacks, games and music. There were also prizes presented to those who raised the most donations, plus a complimentary dinner for walkers.
“What makes this weekend exciting is that it is our reunion weekend,” said Graeme Wilson, who serves as the President and CEO of America’s Keswick. “This is a time when all the graduates of our programs come back. This is my most favorite weekend.”
He noted that life can be challenging, overwhelming, and crippling when an individual finds themselves in bondage to addiction.
“The men’s program started 127 years ago, the Colony of Mercy. Then 10 years ago a program called Barbara’s Place, which helps women with addiction, started and at this point we’ve had over 23,000 people come through our doors,” he said.
Wilson introduced speaker Pastor Bill Pruitt at a program held prior to the walk event saying, “this man is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and went on to serve in guest services and then became director of development for a season and then was a Colony chaplain and then the Lord led him to start a new ministry and new work called New Hope Philly. It has been phenomenal and amazing to watch and see all the men impacted by that work.”
“This is our 17
th
year for the Family Freedom Walk. When I think back our first goal was to raise $25,000 and now the goal this year is to raise $300,000. It feels like an insurmountable goal but it has been amazing to watch how our partners, friends and donors have come along side us and we’re going to see what God does,” Wilson added.
He noted the event was blessed with great weather that day. “The skies are clear, the temperature is perfect and when the weather is bad, we’ve done it inside but it is so much better outside. We have the Whiting Fire Company coming in with their fire trucks so we get to have some community partners here too.”
Wilson started in the first of his two positions in January of 2024 and officially took over in July. “I’m about eight or nine months into the full role. It has been an amazing journey. I previously served here for 16 years.”
Wilson recalled, “I started in the dining room and my last position was director of marketing and then through a series of events felt a calling to start pastoring. I pastored for the last five years at Wellspring (based in Toms River) and this brought me back.”
He noted when he was serving as pastor at Wellspring on Washington Street “next to the Ocean County Jail it really gave me a different perspective. On any given Sunday we’d have a number of different people from there come to services. Getting to see them and walking through their challenges, it gave me a bigger heart for what happens here and that there is hope. Often when you have an addiction you don’t feel that there is hope.”
America’s Keswick is located in a secluded area that provides a peaceful and restful environment to help addicted individuals find victory while also providing resources and support groups for their hurting families as well. “This weekend is testimony to what God can do.”
The facility has been a fixture in the Whiting section of the township and offers a Bible-based curriculum, which includes both group counseling and individual counseling, with well-equipped and qualified staff.
They also offer group meetings, Bible studies, and work therapy to support those on the journey to recovery. America’s Keswick is located at 601 Route 530 in Whiting, and can also be reached by calling 800-453-7942.
