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Darryl Strawberry in Peoria

Denise Molina-Weiger
/
Peoria Public Radio

The 40th Annual Mayor’s Prayer Luncheon in Peoria welcomed a former major league baseball player as its keynote speaker.

Eight-time All-Star Darryl Strawberry began his day at Manual Academy speaking to students about his baseball career, personal challenges with drug abuse, and his journey into ministry. Strawberry says his main message to young people is to tell them they are important.

“We see young people today that think their lives are mistakes and they continue to make mistakes because they think their life is a mistake and it’s not. And we think through the help of our Lord, Jesus Christ, who delivered us from our mistakes and made us into the people we are today shows the kids that there’s place for them too, a purpose for their life, and a reason why they were created.”

Stawberry also told the crowd of Manual students to get back to communicating face to face rather than through technology. 

The ordained minister says his message to adults is the importance of giving back to their community.

“If I sat here and talked about a baseball career then I’m not talking about nothing. I’m talking about a baseball game because a baseball career, it comes and goes. One day you’re going to play and one day you’re going to retire. But helping people, you can help people for the rest of your life until the end of your life.”  

Strawberry is also speaking to students in the Proctor Center’s after-school program Thursday afternoon.