
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, September 7, 1995                   TAG: 9509080034
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: S6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: LISA SMITH
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

CONCERT AIDS DRUG, ALCOHOL ABUSE PROGRAM

Michael Brown, a music evangelist from the Evangelical Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit, will hold a benefit concert for the Living Free Program, at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Evangelical Foursquare Church, 612 Bullitt Ave., in Roanoke.

The Living Free Program, which Brown started about two months ago, is a drug and alcohol abuse prevention program in which Brown visits schools and jails. Brown, a recovered drug addict, said he also uses the program to let people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol know that they too can turn their lives around.

Brown got the idea for the program from his work in England and Australia, where he would visit schools and talk to students about drug and alcohol abuse, through the Walking Free program based in England

Living Free gets funding from volunteer contributions at concerts and by "word of mouth," Brown said. The contributions go toward buying equipment for the office and performances and for traveling expenses.

Performing along with Brown at Saturday's benefit will be the Living Free Choir, which is composed of volunteers "who want to promote a drug and alcohol free life style."

There will also be guest performances by Harold Payne, and Becky, Gerry and Daniel Smith, all from Roanoke.

The concert is free, but an offering will be collected.

To further introduce The Living Free Program to Roanoke, Brown is planning a banquet in the spring of 1996.

Brown said his dreams include building a home for recovering drug addicts in Roanoke.

by CNB