Time to remember. Time to Act.

[Monticello, NY] The Fourth annual International Overdose Awareness Day Vigil will be held on August 29th at 6 pm on the lawn of the Sullivan County Courthouse, 414 Broadway, Monticello.

International Overdose Awareness Day is the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose remember without stigma those who have died from overdose; and acknowledge the grief of the family and friends left behind.

According to the New York State Department of Health, Sullivan County holds the highest rate of overdose per capita in New York State. Last year the county was federally designated as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). Being classified as a HIDTA means that Sullivan County is recognized as a critical area for intervention and support, necessitating a coordinated response from local, state, and federal agencies to combat drug trafficking and its associated consequences.

“International Overdose Awareness Day both commemorates those who have been lost to the disease of addiction and serves to inspire those who are still struggling to seek recovery. In its 4th year, this has become an annual event where our community gathers as a united front to let people know that we are all in this together and there is hope,” said Camille O’Brien, Coordinator of the Sullivan County Drug Task Force.

Open your hearts as families share their stories of loved ones who lost their battle with substance use. Remember those who have passed and celebrate those in recovery. Meet organizations and learn about resources created to face this crisis head-on. Participate in a candlelight vigil as the sun sets. Hear from state and local leaders who will share efforts to battle the opioid crisis in Sullivan County.

Nesin Cultural Arts, and bagpipers will perform against the backdrop of the Sullivan County Courthouse, lit purple to symbolize overdose awareness.

“This evening serves as a platform for so many things. Each loss to overdose was someone’s someone; a brother, a child, a parent, or a best friend,” said Lindsay Wheat, Outreach Program Manager for Sullivan 180. “We always knew this was an important evening, but each year, we realize how necessary it is. The only way to end this is to do it together.”

International Overdose Awareness Day Vigil is presented by a community of organizations working together to end the opioid epidemic in Sullivan County.