MOBILE COUNTY, Ala. (WKRG) — The Mobile Police Department is set to host Youth Violence Prevention Week, a movement of “awakening the ‘unity’ in community,” from July 24-30. which includes events each day for “the entire family to participate in, especially teenagers,” according to a release.
Daily events include a Sunday prayer service, a few community engagement days, a celebrity fun day and a back-to-school rally.
“In combating the youth violence in our city, the pursuit of peace, love, redemption and all things good are at the front of our efforts,” said Youth Violence Prevention Coordinator Joshua Jones. “My hope is YVP Week serves as the culmination of what was set in motion earlier this summer with our Community Days.”
Here is a breakdown of events and corresponding days with location and times:
| Event | Date | Location | Time |
| Prayer Service | Sunday, July 24 | Mardi Gras Park | 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. |
| Community Engagement Day | Monday, July 25 | Hillsdale Park | 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. |
| Community Engagement Day | Tuesday, July 26 | Trinity Gardens Park | 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. |
| Celebrity Fun Day | Wednesday, July 27 | Herndon-Sage Park | 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. |
| Community Engagement Day | Thursday, July 28 | Taylor Park | 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. |
| Community Engagement Day | Friday, July 29 | Harmon Park | 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. |
| Stop The Violence Back 2 School Rally | Saturday, July 30 | Ladd-Peebles Stadium | 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. |
Sunday’s Prayer Service at Mardi Gras Park will include several special guests from local churches in the Mobile area. There will be music and a DJ following the citywide prayer service.
Wednesday’s Celebrity Fun Day at Herndon-Sage Park will consist of ‘local city influencers’ playing basketball, kickball and sack racing. The competition is open to the public. Mobile City Council President C,J. Small, Mobile County Public Schools Superintendent Chresal Threadgrill and several others will be in attendance.
Closing out the week will be a ‘Stop the Violence Back 2 School Rally’ held at Ladd-Peebles Stadium Saturday, July 30. There will be entertainment, food, vendors and more for the rally against gun violence. MPD will be giving out backpacks with school supplies to “get you ready for the school year,” according to the release.
“If we can further drive the efforts to support family environments, which in turn promote healthy development of our young people, we can reshape what community looks like in Mobile,” said Jones. “And by doing so, we can reclaim the essence of what true community is.”
For more information on the week-long event, you can go to the Mobile Police Facebook page.
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