EVERETT, Wash. — In 2017, Snohomish County lost over 90 people to an opioid overdose. The tragedy of overdose is far too frequent but is ultimately preventable. Overdose prevention, education and treatment play a crucial role in saving lives. Two upcoming events are aimed at providing more awareness and connection to resources in Snohomish County.
RESOURCES: A Night to Remember, A Time to Act
Overdose Prevention Night at the Everett AquaSox
To commemorate International Overdose Awareness Day, and to honor their sons Corey Lee and Spencer Warfield, the Lee and Warfield families invite the community to a candlelight vigil and resource fair. The 2nd annual “A Night to Remember, A Time to Act” event will be on Thursday, August 23 at the Snohomish County Campus at 3000 Rockefeller Avenue in Everett. A resource fair will be held from 6-7 p.m. in the Public Meeting Rooms located in the Administration East Building, and the program and candlelight vigil will begin at 7 p.m. in the plaza. The resource fair will resume for another thirty minutes after the vigil.
“This event is about putting a face to those lost to an opioid overdose, and the friends and family who love them,” said Debbie Warfield, whose son Spencer lost his battle with addiction in October 2012. “Cathi and I do not want another family to have to live through what we did. We need to focus on changing the stigma surrounding addiction and ensure science-based help is available for those currently struggling.”
Building upon the candlelight vigil and resource fair will be Overdose Prevention Night at the Everett AquaSox on Saturday, September 1. The event is sponsored by the Snohomish Health District, with support from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention grant through the Washington State Department of Health.
The game is at Everett Memorial Stadium at 3802 Broadway, with the gates opening at 6:00 p.m. and the first pitch at 7:05 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the Everett AquaSox box office, or online at https://bit.ly/2PknDlQ.
In addition to special messages during the game, the concourse will have 10 tables to match a new “10 Things to Know About Opioids” campaign developed by the Snohomish County Opioid Response Multi-Agency Coordination “MAC” Group. Attendees can visit the tables for information and resources, as well as to complete stamp cards that can be turned in for raffle prizes awarded during the game.
International Overdose Awareness Day was started in 2001, and celebrated on August 31 every year since, as a way to raise awareness of overdose and reduce the stigma of a drug-related death. It also acknowledges the grief felt by families and friends remembering those who have died or suffered permanent injury as a result of drug overdose.
For more information on efforts being done through the Snohomish County Opioid Response MAC Group, please go to www.snohomishoverdoseprevention.com. This website and accompanying social media accounts were developed to be a one-stop shop for resources. Whether trying to understand the problem, prevent addiction, or save a life, this is a place to find information for that first next step.