"Get In The Ring...Knock Out Substance Abuse" is a FREE admission event being held Thursday night from 6-8:30 pm at Brick Township High School by the Ocean County Prosecutors Office and Joe Coronato.

This is part of a series of public forums they do, Coronato said, to spread awareness, "and hopefully as a result people will learn not to go down that road."

The target audience is middle and high school students.

"We want to make sure that they understand what the repercussions are," Coronato said.

While the target audience is middle and high school students, everyone is invited to attend.

"It's not only students that need to come out, but I think the parents need to come out," Coronato said. "There needs to be an awareness."

This event which includes a presentation from special guest speaker and Toms River native, Toms River High School East graduate and UFC and MMA fighter Frankie Edgar, who will be the "main event".

"He believes that his career models after not going after substance abuse and being clean and wanting to treat your body as a temple," Coronato said.

The event also features the presence of former Brick Memorial wrestling coach Dan O'Cone as well as Brick Township Police Chief James Riccio and Brick Schools Superintendent Dennis Filippone who will be the Emcee among others.

Working with a number of shore celebrities in the past such as Gaten Matarazzo, Al Leiter or Todd Frazier or Edgar as is the case Thursday, Coronato is pleased to have so many of them willing to help spread the message.

"We're thrilled that we have local celebrities that are willing to come in and give back to the community as Frankie Edgar is doing," Coronato said.

He says Edgar will start by discussing the dangers of substance abuse.

"He's the type of person that can relate to individuals and people will not only get to meet him but ask him questions and hopefully learn from the experiences and share the ones other people have had with substance abuse," Coronato said.

Edgar will also engage in an exhibition with another wrestler and show everyone some of his fighting techniques.

Coronato says this is just the latest in their public forum series and more will be occurring in ocean county this year.

Ocean County Prosecutors Office "Knock Out Substance Abuse" event. (Ocean County Prosecutors Office)
Ocean County Prosecutors Office "Knock Out Substance Abuse" event. (Ocean County Prosecutors Office)
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