Time for the families of the incarcerated to heal

By Merlene Davis

Lexington Herald Leader

When Gail Ray's son was sent to prison in 2004, she didn't know of anyone who could identify with the pain.

"I needed something, somewhere to go and talk with people who knew what I was going through," Ray said.

Instead, for months, she cried alone, a bit ashamed and a bit afraid of public ridicule.

She found a program based in Alabama that offered support for families, but she wanted something closer, more flexible and more responsive to families in the Bluegrass.

That's when she took to heart the adage that if you want something done, do it yourself.

Ray joined forces with two other women, Elwanda McNeal and Bonita Redmond, to form Never Alone: Families of the Incarcerated Weathering this Storm Together on Sept. 17, 2007.

For the full Herald-Leader story, click here.

The Never Alone support group is a great ally of Kentuckians For The Commonwealth, particularly in the campaign to restore voting rights to former felons who have served their debt to society.