Former inmate turned Louisville pastor using annual walk to show L.O.V.E.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- While thousands will hit the pavement for Saturday's Kentucky Derby Festival marathon, dozens will be walking with a different purpose.

Saturday afternoon, dozens of people will meet at First Gethsemane Baptist Church on Algonquin Parkway for the annual L.O.V.E. (Love Overcomes Violence and its Effects) Walk. They’re hoping to raise awareness and change the recent trend of violence in our city.

"It's a travesty. You know, all violence is just ignorant to me, is senseless," said Tod Moore. "And it stands for love. Love overcomes violence and its effects."

Moore is the founder and executive director of New Day Ministries. It is a faith-based organization created to help address the ongoing violence.

"And we're doing things in this in this community and this city and destroying our next generation," said Moore. "And all the violence that's happening here in the city of Louisville. We just wanted to come and show the love of Jesus Christ and pour into this community."

Saturday, the organization will host its annual LOVE Walk in Louisville's Algonquin neighborhood.

Moore isn't just talking the talk.

"The reason why I'm so passionate about this is because I perpetrated violence myself," he said.

In the early 90s, he went to prison.

"Three counts of murder, capital kidnapping and tried for the death penalty in 1993, never supposed see the light of day," said Moore.

But in prison, he found his calling, changed his life, and was even pardoned.

"God delivered me and said 'go back and help deliver somebody else,'" Moore said.

So when he hits the streets on Saturday, he hopes to show others how to talk the talk and walk the walk.

"You have relatability with the people who have not been through anything. And they do not have to turn to selling drugs, they do not have to turn to getting in gangs," he said. "They don't have to turn to any of those things, those lifestyles of that lead them to being in prison or the graveyard."

The L.O.V.E. Walk is scheduled to start at noon on Saturday at 1221 First Gethsemane Avenue in Louisville.

To register for the walk, click here.

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