Observe Overdose Awareness Week with Buddy’s Purpose, Perfectly Flawed Foundation

Local organizations, including Buddy’s Purpose and Perfectly Flawed Foundation, will be observing Overdose Awareness between Aug. 25-31.

Help them remember individuals who have died and celebrate lives saved by displaying purple ribbons and lights.

Community members are welcome to join Buddy’s Purpose and The Perfectly Flawed Foundation for a morning of remembrance and friendship from 9 to 11 a.m. on International Overdose Awareness Day, Saturday, Aug. 31.

Participants will gather beginning at 9 a.m. at The Perfectly Flawed Foundation, 240 First St., La Salle. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided followed by a short walk (less than 0.5 miles) to the Illinois and Michigan Canal Lock 15 for a butterfly release shortly after 10 a.m.

Display purple lights and ribbons outside your home, business, organization or landmarks in your city such as fountains, parks or community buildings.

By donating $10, you can pick up a purple light bulb and ribbon at the Perfectly Flawed Office.

Every year International Overdose Awareness Day is observed on Aug. 31. It is a day to remember individuals lost to drug overdose as well as celebrate lives saved. It also acknowledges the grief felt by families and friends who have lost loved ones and/or those that have suffered a permanent overdose injury. Drug overdose is the nation’s leading cause of accidental death.

International Overdose Awareness Day also aims to reduce the stigma attached to substance use among individuals and often the families of the victims. Many are not aware of the complex factors behind overdose and unfairly blame families and those who struggle. Such an attitude only works to flair the negativities surrounding the topic, suppressing any efforts to raise awareness and reduce risk. Aug. 31 is the day to come out and stand in solidarity to prevent future overdose deaths.

Perfectly Flawed Foundation is a harm reduction and recovery community organization and has operated a drug overdose education and naloxone distribution program since 2017. Its service area includes Bureau, Putnam, La Salle, Marshall, Henry, Lee, Livingston, Grundy and surrounding counties. The program includes mobile outreach with a text-based, non-crisis hotline, 815-830-8675.

Perfectly Flawed offers overdose prevention training to local agencies, businesses and individuals. If you or your agency is interested to learn about strategies to help prevent overdose in your community, contact Perfectly Flawed directly.