Wedding bells were ringing Saturday as More Than Conquerors, Inc. and the MATURE PEERsuaders celebrated families and the strength of married couplies at their 15th annual mock wedding ceremony at Rockdale Medical Center. 

The mock wedding ceremony is just one of the events that the MATURE PEERsuaders put on each year. Before the union of Ms."Worth The Wait" and Mr. "He Waited," the PEERsuaders presented the knowledge they gained through a short presentation. Veronica Lawrence who has been with MTCI for more than four years said, “I can tell you first hand that this organization along with other positive individuals in my life has helped me to become a goal oriented individual and a dedicated person to serve my community.”

One of the main themes of the mock wedding ceremony was fatherhood. David Smalls, father of the "groom," said, “The presence of a father in the child’s life is very important.” He also shared statistics that emphasized the importance of the father’s role in a child’s life.

• 90 percent of homeless and runaway children come from fatherless homes – U.S. Bureau of Census

• 71 percent of high school dropouts come from fatherless homes

• 50 percentof the state’s inmates grew up without their father

During the ceremony, alumni PEERsuader Rochelle Dobbins, danced to “I Promise.” Angie Stevens sang “My Love Sweet Love.” 

The MATURE PEERsuaders consists of a group of students ages 15 to 19 who learn leadership skills and participate in community projects.

Veronica Lawrence who has been with MTCI for over 4 years said, “I can tell you first hand that this organization along with other positive individuals in my life has helped me to become a goal oriented individual and a dedicated person to serve my community.”

The event was a full house and attended by students, adults and community leaders, including Commissioner JaNice Van Ness.

For more, go to www.mtciga.org