Summit County community comes together for International Overdose Awareness Day

On Saturday, August 31, an informal memorial service will be held in Silverthorne to remember those who have died or suffered permanent injuries as a result of a drug overdose.

The memorial service will be held from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the patio of Enza’s Delicatessen, 358 Blue River Parkway, Unit A, in Silverthorne, a news release said. August 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day, which aims to create a better understanding of overdoses, reduce the stigma of drug-related deaths and create change that reduces the harms associated with drug use, the news release said.

In the state of Colorado, 1,926 overdose deaths were reported in 2023.

“By coming together to remember those we have lost, we stand together to recognize that more must be done to end overdoses in our community,” said event organizer Corinne Petterson in a statement. “We encourage community members with personal experience to come to our event and stand in solidarity with those personally affected by overdoses.”

For a full list of International Overdose Awareness Day events, visit OverdoseDay.com/events-2024.