COMMUNITY EVENT
Hays County knows first hand the incredibly devastating impacts of a drug overdose.
During the 2022-2023 school year, six Hays CISD students lost their lives to fentanyl poisoning.
“This tragedy underscores the critical need for ongoing education and intervention,” said Stephanie Nasr, Cenikor prevention specialist. “By raising awareness about opioid and drug misuse, we hope to cultivate a more informed communi- ty, better equipped to recognize the signs of overdose and take life-saving actions.”
And it isn’t just fentanyl poisoning. Overdoses come from many different drugs impacting all communities across all age groups and demographic lines. Many locally and across the world have been impacted by the overdose of a loved one. Cenikor, a local nonprofit, will be hosting an overdose awareness event to honor the lives lost to drugs. Cenikor is an organization dedicated to providing comprehensive behavioral health services, including addiction treatment and prevention programs. The Honoring Together: Overdose Awareness Event will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday at Wake the Dead Coffee House.
“International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31 offers a crucial opportunity to pay tribute to those who have died from overdose, support grieving families and renew our commitment to ending the stigma associated with drug-related deaths,” Nasr said. “We aim to bring the community together for healing and support, and the event is open to the public.”
Nasr said the event will feature a candlelight vigil and an open mic session so that people can share stories, music, art or poetry to honor those that have been lost to overdose.
“Additionally, we will be offering free Narcan to help empower attendees with a critical tool for combating overdose,” Nasr said.
Learn more about Cenikor’s programs and offerings at cenikor.org.
