Crater of Hope honored two young ladies with a surprise graduation party at their regular board meeting Monday evening on the campus of Southeast Community and Technical College. Jodi Davis and Abbie Young are both graduating from Southeast after being involved with Crater of Hope and the Ready to Work Program.

“I have grown to love Jodi and Abbie as if they were my own daughters. I have watched them grow from very young, insecure young ladies into full-grown mature young ladies,” said Jeannie Allen, Crater of Hope’s executive director.”They have been a huge, huge help with Crater of Hope. They’ve always worked at any event that we’ve had, they are the face of Crater of Hope.”

In addition to some presents, a surprise dinner and a cake, Davis and Young were presented with certificates of appreciation from the Crater of Hope board in recognition of their service and dedication to that organization.

Davis is going into peer support while Young is now a nurse.

“I’m so very proud to see where they were and where they are today. I wish them both the very best of luck and peace and happiness,” Allen said. “I hope and I pray that they come back and help us with other events, which I think they will.”

Davis started with Crater of Hope after going through her own battle with addiction.

“It has literally been life-changing,” she said. “The board members themselves have all been wonderful, but Jeannie is like my fairy godmother.

“The last time I was in a group full of people and I was the show, I was in court and fixing to go to jail. It just shows the 180 that I’ve turned in my own life to be celebrated for the good things that I’ve done.”

She enjoys seeing and helping kids and families in general as a volunteer for Crater of Hope and plans to continue helping those in recovery as a peer supporter.

“You are just a mentor to other people who are starting recovery or may want to start recovery. You are their go-to person to help them along,” Davis said.

Young got involved with Crater of Hope after seeing her parents struggle with addiction.

“So that inspires me a lot to try and give back to the community,” she said. “I like making changes and I feel like I’ve been able to that with the events and helping kids with the toy drive and things like that.”

She started taking classes at Southeast through the Ready to Work program.

“I tell Jeannie this all the time: I feel like God placed me there because my mom struggled with addiction and she ended up losing her battle. But that was my purpose, to be her voice,” Young said.

After of few months taking classes, she applied to the nursing program and is graduating with a nursing degree. She’ll be working at the Corbin Hospital in the NICU (Newborn Intensive Care Unit)

Young said Monday’ surprise party caught her off guard.

“I’m a little shy so it shocked me. But I’m very thankful to Jeannie for everything that she’s done for me. She’s done a lot that she doesn’t say and I’m very appreciative,” she said.

Allen said Davis and Young are role models for what Crater of Hope can do.

“They are what we want to see with everyone. We want to let everyone know that there is hope — Jodi and Abbie have demonstrated that there is hope and there is a future. That you can overcome drugs and you can become who you dream of being,” she said. “They have gone above and beyond and I[m very happy to be a part of their success.”