By Joshua Walther
COBLESKILL - Although the summer rain thundered in droves last Thursday evening, no weather could stop families and friends from attending a solemn vigil for those lost to overdose and sharing their stories.
On International Overdose Awareness Day, the Schoharie County Council for Alcohol and Substance Abuse, or SCCASA, held their eighth annual vigil at the fairgrounds and invited anyone from across the county to attend.
The first half an hour was a meet and greet as the crowds began to mingle together. Quiet pleasantries and polite conversation echoed in the Hall of Agriculture as purple hearts were strung on the walls with personalized messages.
During this time, people were free to peruse the tables set up by different organizations. Sitting alongside SCCASA was RSS and the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and each booth offered motivational cards and reminder bracelets.
David DeSando was given a similar spot where he supplied free NARCAN, a nasal reversal agent for opioids. He spoke at length about how it works and his mission to set up free kits around the county, encouraging anyone to leave the vigil armed with as much knowledge as possible.
Shortly after the meet and greet, SCCASA’s executive director Becky Schroeder welcomed several speakers to address those in attendance.
Each speaker, whether they were a medical professional, in recovery themselves, or knew someone that was, each had a story prepared to inspire confidence and hope. They spoke of a better tomorrow and summoning the strength to push on, something that many attendees took to heart.
Once the speeches were wrapped up, Mrs. Schroeder and her team prepared the evening’s candlelight vigil. Wicks were distributed and lit, and everyone shared an emotional moment of silence to reflect and say the names of those who passed.
“This is a great opportunity to spread awareness, bring hope, and honor those lost to overdose,” said Mrs. Schroeder. “Hopefully we can continue on for as long as we can.”
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