When Vanessa Sieger saw an ad that was taken out by Simcoe County mothers who had lost kids to the opioid crisis, she was taken aback.
The ad displayed the faces of some of those who had died.
“I recognized four of those faces,” Sieger said.
She wanted to help however she could, so she is organizing an event called Orillia Talks: Simcoe County Moms Raising Awareness. It will take place Feb. 19 at the Geneva Event Centre, from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
The free event will give people the opportunity hear first-hand accounts and learn about the issue.
“A lot of people don’t know what’s in what they’re taking, so the education aspect is really important,” Sieger said.
There will be some speakers on hand, including Natalie Harris, a Barrie city councillor and former paramedic who has started an initiative that sees people make get-well cards for those battling addiction. Harris faced her own struggle with addiction in the past.
Having her speak at the Feb. 19 event “shows that there is growth possible, that there is a silver lining,” Sieger said.
An employee of the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care will also speak at the event.
Sieger hopes to see a good turnout of people, even those who might not have been directly affected by the opioid crisis.
“It would be meaningful just to show up and be a supporter,” she said.
In many cases, opioid overdoses are accidental, she added, noting the frequency of deaths is alarming.
“It seems like we can’t even heal from the last one before the next one happens.”
Naloxone kits will be available at the event. They are free to those who want them, after they see a brief demonstration of how to use them. Naloxone temporarily reverses the effects of an overdose.
Sieger is reaching out to local businesses to see if they will donate food and non-alcoholic beverages for the evening. Anyone interested can email her at [email protected].
Sieger thanked Geneva Event Centre owner Donald Porter for donating the venue.
The group of Simcoe County mothers whose children have died from overdoses have created a petition, calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to declare the crisis a national public health emergency. The goal is 10,000 signatures. It has garnered more than 8,000 so far. The petition can be found here.
For more information about the Feb. 19 forum, check out the event’s Facebook page.
