(Meeting Updates - Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

PARKERSBURG — The Wood County Prevention Coalition will hold a town hall meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday on the second floor of the Parkersburg Municipal Building.

The meeting is free and the featured speaker will be Margaret Kursey, director of administration of The Martinsburg Initiative, a collaborative to prevent substance use disorders, strengthen families and empower the Martinsburg community through police, school, community, health and education partners.

The organization is based on the science from the Adverse Childhood Experiences, often referred to as ACEs, that show how early childhood experiences shape the lives of adults.

The Wood County Prevention Coalition is made up from every sector of the community whose mission is to prevent substance abuse and dangerous decisions.