The Michigan Department of Community Health and the Michigan Association of Community Mental Health Boards today announced the “Celebrate, Educate and Motivate” rally previously scheduled for Friday, September 16, 2005 at Ford Field in Detroit, has been canceled.

The rally – originally intended to draw attention around the issues of alcohol, tobacco and other drug prevention, treatment, and recovery issues – was intended to be a public-private partnership between the Office of Drug Control Policy and numerous community organizations.

Despite efforts to raise funds to support the rally and attract keynote speakers and performers, lack of funding forced the cancellation of the event.

Cancellation of the rally at Ford Field does not affect the Substance Abuse Training Project's "6th Annual Michigan Substance Abuse Conference" which will be held, as scheduled, September 15 and 16 at the Cobo Conference/Exhibition Center in Detroit.

Further, on Friday, September 16, conference planners will take steps to link conference participants with "Celebrate Recovery V" activities - including the recovery walk from Hart Plaza to Cobo where a program to celebrate and support people in drug and alcohol addiction recovery is planned at 11 a.m. This powerful event supports people in drug and alcohol addiction recovery.