Several dozen pairs of footwear lined the steps of city hall Tuesday, almost a literal invitation to step into someone else’s life for a moment and consider their story.
This display represented the more than 111 overdose deaths that have occurred in Bartholomew County since 2017, according to Tracey Clark, community impact and volunteer manager for the Alliance for Substance Abuse Progress Hub.
“Many women, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, daughters and sons, grandparents, of all ages, are represented here,” she said. “They were all loved, and they are all missed.”
ASAP offered an International Overdose Awareness Day event on the steps of Columbus City Hall at noon on Tuesday. City officials, staff and other individuals attended as Clark and others spoke about the importance of overcoming judgement and fighting addiction.
According to ASAP, International Overdose Awareness Day is observed on Aug. 31 each year and “seeks to create better understanding of overdose, reduce the stigma of drug-related deaths, and create change that reduces the harms associated with drug use.”
“Today we stop to remember all the loved ones lost to this disease, substance abuse disorder,” said Clark. “Today we take this opportunity to support friends and loved ones as they continue to remember and mourn their loss. Today we find hope to take action to prevent the next overdose death.”
During the event, Mayor Jim Lienhoop read and issued a proclamation commemorating the day.
This announcement acknowledged the seriousness of substance abuse disorders and the “harm and hardship” caused by overdoses. Lienhoop also stated that part of the purpose of International Overdose Awareness Day is to remember those who have passed away and recognize the grief felt by their family and friends.
“On this day, we affirm the people affected by overdose are our sons and daughters, our mothers and fathers, our brothers and sisters — all of whom deserve our love, compassion and support,” he said.
Other speakers likewise mentioned the importance of overcoming stigma towards overdose deaths, as well as individuals with substance abuse disorders.
“Stigma is the biggest barrier to people seeking treatment,” Clark said. “Treatment is the most effective way to prevent overdose death and protect our community.”
She also emphasized the importance of using naloxone to fight opioid overdoses and added that this medication is available throughout the city and county.
Bishop David C. Bosley from the Dayspring Church of God, Apostolic gave the opening prayer at Tuesday’s event and later read a poem called “The Crisis,” which described communities’ struggles with drug addiction and the need for better solutions to these problems.
The poem also spoke of a need for more compassion and understanding:
“Too much talk and all the best laid plans,
But what is the value of a broken woman or broken man?
Where, tell me please, will this crisis ever end?
Not until we view those affected as our closest friend.”
The crisis of which Bosley spoke increased dramatically amid the first year of the pandemic. Clark cited data recently released from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which estimates that over 93,000 people in the United States died of overdoses in 2020 — an increase of about 29% over the previous year.
There were 31 drug overdose deaths in Bartholomew County in 2020, up from 24 in 2019 and the highest since at least 2015, according to the coroner’s office report. As of mid-July, the office was reporting 12 confirmed overdose deaths for 2021.
Despite the somber statistics and grim reminders of the day, Clark stressed that there is still hope and that local resources such as ASAP can provide important tools and treatment for overcoming addiction.
“It’s time to remember,” she said. “It’s time to act. Recovery is possible, and Columbus is a great place to grow in recovery.”
