August 31st is International Overdose Awareness Day and a team of local community support groups will be holding an event in Chillicothe’s Yoctangee Park to remember those who have lost their lives to addiction and celebrate those who have survived.
Tracey Kemper-Hermann, with the grief recovery group GRASP, says they've partnered with Ross Community Action and the addiction awareness group OhioCan to put on the event."It's an event to provide support for families who've lost someone, and then also to raise awareness about overdose." said Kemper-Hermann. "Were going to have a candle light memorial and some tables with information from different addiction recovery programs in the area," Tracey says the vigil will end with a special ceremony for local families that have lost a loved one to drug addiction.
At the beginning of Yoctangee Park there's a solar light display that represents the lives lost in Ross County to drug addiction," said Kemper-Hermann. During the ceremony, we'll have a memorial for those who have suffered a loss and allow them to talk about and remember their loved one. At the end of the ceremony, we'll remove the lights from the display."
The local Overdose Awareness Day vigil will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Rotary Shelter this Thursday, August 31st.