Awareness day, vigil, resource fair set for Aug. 31

TORRINGTON » The Litchfield County Opiate Task Force (LCOTF) will hold Northwest CT Overdose Awareness Day: a community resource fair and vigil to be held on Thursday, Aug. 31 at 6 p.m. The event will be held in Coe Memorial Park.

This free event is open to all members of the community and will give attendees an opportunity to come together and honor the memory and commemorate the lives of those lost to opioid overdose and addiction. Attendees can also learn about available local resources, offer and share support to help those affected, and hear inspiring music and messages of hope and encouragement from those in recovery.

There will be educational information booths and refreshments from 6-8 p.m., with representatives from Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, McCall Center for Behavioral Health, Greenwoods Counseling, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Home Visiting Family Services, Family Strides, ED Advance, Key Recovery, All About You, Tides of Mind, Western CT MHN, Nurturing Families, and more. Beginning at 8 p.m., a traditional vigil will begin featuring speakers, music, prayer and meditation, and a candle lighting ceremony at the conclusion of the evening.

“Our community has been significantly impacted by the loss of lives due to opiate overdose. We wanted to provide an opportunity to come together in our shared loss, and offer support, mutuality and a sense of hope between providers, family and friends and survivors,” said organizer Ariana Cardozo.

Many organizations and town agencies took part in providing the planning, refreshments and funding for the vigil, including the City of Torrington, Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, McCall Center For Behavioral Health, and other members of the Litchfield County Opiate Task Force. For more information, e-mail Ariana Cardozo at ariana.cardozo@mccallcenterct.org at the McCall Center.