The Mental Health, Addiction & Recovery Services Board of Lorain County recognized International Overdose Awareness Day with a vigil Aug. 31 at Lakeside Sunset Terrace at Lakeview Park, 1800 W. Erie Aven. in Lorain.
The organization and several community partners, including the Lorain County Opioid Action Team, honored the 119 lives lost to accidental overdose in Lorain County in 2022.
Attendees also could receive resources with information regarding treatment, recovery support, Narcan kits and more.
“For too long, the overdose crisis has been hidden in the shadows,” said Michael Doud, executive director of Mental Health, Addiction & Recovery Services in Lorain County. “International Overdose Awareness Day provides an opportunity for us to talk about and prevent overdose in our community.”
Keynote speaker Dawn Rene Bovay, an author and nurse practitioner, shared her experiences, emphasizing lessons learned following the death of her son Brad to overdose in 2016.
“When I think of my son Brad, I don’t think of an addict or alcoholic,” Bovay said. “I think of him as he thought of himself, he was simply Brad, and he was so loved.”
She encouraged loved ones of those struggling with addiction to be intentional with their language, take care of themselves and find outlets for expression.
“There’s a lot of things we can do individually to make little ripples to affect change,” Bovay said. “I believe my journey began long before I got here, because my parents were taught by their parents, but who’s going to affect change if it doesn’t start with me and you?”
Community members also shared anecdotes of their personal experiences.
Lorain resident John Corry spoke on the need of resources and intervention, specifically in the Black community.
“It’s no longer OK to just offer services, we have those, Corry said. “But now, we need people with boots on the ground to bring them to the people.
“We need more passion and those with lived experiences to become trained. We need a fire lit up in us; this is not a time to be sad, this a time for work.”
Doud said event organizers hoped to provide families and residents with the necessary education in drug prevention.
“This memorial and programs like Project DAWN (Deaths Avoided with Naloxone) help educate with real facts about drugs and what to do when you see someone experiencing an overdose saves lives,” he said. “Events like this aim to educate our communities about drugs that can really help overdose prevention.”
