August 31st is International Overdose Awareness Day.
For the fourth year, members of Galesburg's recovery community and the families and friends of those lost to overdose will gather for a candlelight vigil.
The event starts at 7:30 p.m. Saturday on the public square.
There will be flameless candles and a moment of silence for people all over the world who were lost to overdose.
“We also have resources available, and Narcan available, and Narcan training if anybody needs to be trained,” said Michelle Dennison, a certified peer recovery specialist at Bridgeway who is in long-term recovery from substance use disorder.
Dennison plans the local overdose awareness vigil.
“I’ve lost a lot of people that I love to overdose. It's important to have a place for people to feel like they're not alone in the grieving of the people that they've lost and to feel like they have community and a space to honor their loved ones,” she said.
Each year, Dennison picks a theme and designs t-shirts, always in purple because that’s the color for overdose awareness.
This year’s shirts are tie-dyed and the theme is Peace, Love, Narcan.
“There’s an overdose crisis all over the world. It’s happening more and more. Fentanyl is everywhere. We’re just losing too many lives,” Dennison said. “There are a lot of misconceptions about Narcan but it saves lives. And people can’t find recovery if they’re dead.”
Dennison said there’s a strong recovery community in west central Illinois.
Hannah Perez is part of that community – and she will tell her story at the vigil.
“She’s a graduate of Drug Court and her life was saved by Narcan. So she wouldn’t be here, her kids wouldn’t have a mother, if it wasn’t for Narcan saving her life,” Dennison said.
Other events
In addition to the vigil, West Central Illinois ROSC will host a “Narcan Saves Lives” event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7 at Galesburg’s Park Plaza.
The event will feature speakers Perez, Keith Collins, Dylan Miller, and Samantha Martinie. There will be resource tables and food by Macho Taco.
West Central Illinois ROSC will also host a quarter auction for Knox County Drug Court on Sept. 28 at Knights of Columbus Hall.
Dennison said a quarter auction is a cross between an auction and a raffle.
To donate or for more information, contact Dennison at michelled@bway.org.
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