Community uniting to remember lives lost to addiction
NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) (Aug. 29, 2023) – There’s a ceremony in front of the Tuscarawas County courthouse Wednesday evening to remember those we’ve lost to substance use.
The local Addiction Task Force and member agencies are inviting everyone to the plaza beginning at 6:30 for an Overdose Awareness Day tribute. Empower Tusc Coordinator Jodi Salvo says they’ll also be launching this year’s installment of Project Hope, the campaign that places wooden silhouettes around the community to highlight the deadly toll of the drug crisis we’re facing and promote recovery resources.
“There’s a sign to promote the Tuscarawas County Hope Line, and that’s one number you can call with no redirects to one person call and her job in the community is to get people at the right level of care. And there will also this year be a yard sign that promotes how to access, the overdose medication, and that’s through the Tuscarawas County Health Department.”
Overdose survivor turned recovery coach Eric Fredrickson is the guest speaker and will share his story.
“Legacy Church is going to have music. We’ll have our county commissioners provide a proclamation, and we also have a really neat thing that we’re doing this year. We’ve created some hygiene bags for people that might be still in active addiction just to say, ‘Hey, we care, and here’s some resources’ as people are trying to get on their feet and get back into the workforce.”
Project Hope silhouettes will remain up in town squares throughout the county through the end of National Recovery Month in September.