By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
An annual remembrance event will return to St. Joseph as part of International Overdose Awareness Day.
St. Joseph Health Department Health Educator Stephanie Malita says the event began in 2018 and was held again in 2019 before the pandemic halted it for the past two years.
Malita says it's always amazing to her to see the way the event brings the community together.
"How they share and just connect with one another at events like this, we have had this event in the past and it's always astounding to me how very giving of spirit people are at the event," Malita tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.
After being held at Civic City Park for the first two years, this year's event will be held at Felix Street Square. Attendees are asked to bring lawn chairs to the event.
Malita says this event helps bring awareness to the opioid problem, and even helps get people involved with the Buchanan County Opioid Task Force.
"Just another person to help us raise awareness whether it's through just their own social media pages, making posts that sort of help their friends and family see and recognize the problem," Malita says.
The event will begin on Wednesday at 6:45pm downtown with a proclamation from Deputy Mayor Randy Schultz. Following the proclamation, Malita says people that attend the event will have the chance to speak.
"Whether it's that they've lost someone to overdose, whether they have a family member that's struggling with substance use disorder, whether they're in recovery, we've had many stories told at this event," Malita explains. "And it's always very, very moving to hear those stories and see the support that the crowd offers each other."
Once everyone speaks, attendees at Felix Street Square will circle up with purple flashlights to light the night to commemorate those the event honors.
International Overdose Awareness Day is a global event held annually on August 31st that seeks to create a better understanding of overdose, reduce the stigma of drug related deaths, and create changes reducing the harm of drug use.