Observance in Burlington scheduled for Aug. 24
By Jason Arndt
Editor
International Overdose Awareness Day looks to raise awareness of opioid-related deaths and substance abuse disorders while honoring grieving people who have lost loved ones to the epidemic.
In western Racine County, the Burlington area will recognize the international campaign on Aug. 24, when organizers plan to host an event at Enlightened Living Center, 125 E. State St., Burlington from 10 a.m. until noon.
Chloe Branen, the local organizer, said she felt compelled to coordinate the event based on her field of study in social work focused on working with the substance abuse population.
“Ultimately, I am hoping that this event reaches that person who needs it, as well as their family and loved ones,” Branen said.
“It is to widen the awareness of substance use disorder as well as the opioid crisis and to learn effective overdose preventative strategies,” she added. “The big picture goal is to help to end the stigma surrounding addiction.”
Behavioral Health Services of Racine County will offer Narcan training, which can help reverse an opioid overdose. Several organizations plan to be on hand to provide support, encouragement and resources for those in attendance, if needed.
Pauline Ortloff, BHS Clinical Manager for Racine County, said observing International Overdose Awareness events is imperative to tackling the epidemic.
“Overdose Awareness Events are important to raise awareness of overdose, reduce the stigma of substance-related deaths, and to acknowledge the grief felt by families and friends of those who have died as a result of a substance abuse disorder,” said Ortloff. “It is important to honor those we lost and to raise awareness in order to prevent more overdoses.”
She said Racine County will host a separate event in the City of Racine on Aug. 27 at Lincoln Park.
Branen said organizing an event in western Racine County is critical, especially considering the last time officials came to Burlington was in 2021, when former Racine County Executive Jonathan Delagrave and a contingent of other officials brought resources to the community, such as Narcan training.
“I know there was an International Overdose Awareness Day in the past, three years ago out at Echo Park,” Branen said. “It has been held in the past and this is just my own way of going about it. People have been very receptive and felt there is a need for this in the community.”
The free event, which has tickets available on eventbrite, will include a host of speakers who will share their personal stories of substance abuse as well as information on harm reduction strategies to mitigate overdose deaths.
Speakers will include George Moore – who created the George Moore IV Recovery Fund in honor of his son, clinical outreach and community liaison Joe Kiel from Midwest Detox, Milwaukee community member Kale Schmidt, Charlie Hart Sheehan, Amanda De Leon and Amy Molinski from Community Medical Services.
Eric Erickson will serve as the event’s emcee.
Schmidt plans to convey a story of how addiction affected her family, which resulted in her commitment to work with the harm reduction community, while Sheehan looks to share some of her personal experiences.
In addition to Racine County Behavioral Health, other resources available will include East Troy Acupuncture, Milwaukee Community Acupuncture, and Tippecanoe Herbs.
Branen said the additional resources, including acupuncturists, look to bolster a holistic approach to tackling substance abuse disorders.
The Wisconsin Faces of Addiction Memorial Quilt, which consists of faces of those who lost their lives to addiction and was made by the Megan Kelly Foundation, will also be on display during the event.
People attending are encouraged to bring photos of their loved ones who experienced fatal overdoses so they can be included in a display.
Branen hopes to see between 50 to 100 people come out to commemorate International Overdose Awareness Day.
To receive free tickets, and for additional information, access the QR code.
International Overdose Awareness is held annually on Aug. 31, according to its website, and more than 40 nations recognize the observance.
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