By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

During the weeks building up to International Overdose Awareness Day, the local recovery center prepared for March 6 by making a banner with the names and photos of people whose lives were cut short by opioids.

Lakes Region Recovery Center (LRRC) Support Specialist Candy Greenberg had the tough task of putting together the banner. 

“It’s hard, of course, to receive picture after picture in the email and to process each picture and information. I have to print each out and create a balloon for the person with their name. To have each picture in my hands and know this is someone’s loved one isn’t an easy task, nor should it be,” Greenberg said.

“We speak directly to the people when they submit their photos in person. Some are very long and heartbreaking conversations,” she said.

“Almost 100 lives were added to this year’s banner through pictures and teardrops,” she said.

In 2022, an estimated 716 Mainers died from opioid overdose, according to a report distributed by Sen. Susan Collins’ office.

On Monday, as part of International Overdose Awareness Day, the center held an open house. LRRC’s objectives are: To keep the issue in the public eye, to decrease the stigma associated with addiction, and to offer help to people desiring it.

“International Overdose Awareness Day is a stark reminder of the harm that drugs inflict on our society. It is a day to remember those who have fallen victims to overdose as well as those who have come out of the dark hole victorious with the help of loved ones,” according to LRRC Executive Director Tracey Martin.

“It’s a day to come out and stand in solidarity to reduce future overdose deaths,” she said.

“International Overdose Awareness Day also aims to reduce the stigma attached to the issue, most of which is faced by the families of the victims. Many who are not aware of the factors behind overdose unfairly blame victims. Such an attitude only works to flair the negativities surrounding the topic, suppressing any efforts to raise awareness,” she said.

There is no one stereotype of an addict.

“This disease does not discriminate.  There are so many people suffering and we are here to offer hope. Whether you or someone you know is struggling, we are here to be that support and lifeline to you,” Martin said. “This is a no-judgement zone.”

Greenberg also expressed hope through awareness and recovery.

“We’re here. We’re available. We have tools to help: Support through peer group involvement, information about where to find clinical help in the way of therapy and Medication Assisted Treatment and access to Narcan through trainings and distribution,” Greenberg said.

This is the fourth year, since the center opened in September 2018, that International Overdose Day has been observed. It takes about two weeks every February to create and update the banner in time for it to be displayed by the beginning of March.

“There are 28 photos on our banner. There are also 716 tear drops which represent every life lost in 2022,” Martin said. 

“We invite people to come see it. We will keep the banner up the entire month of March and then we will send it to Crooked River Counseling for a period of time,” Martin said.

“If you want to hang it in your community or add to it, please call us at 207-803-8707,” she said.

Greenberg commented how people have reacted to the banner.

“People who visit the center to see the banner specifically have told us how glad they are to see their loved ones are not forgotten. People who happen to see the banner who don’t know about it are usually taken aback and sometimes uncomfortable, but that’s the point. We SHOULD be uncomfortable with the growing numbers each year of lives lost to the opioid crisis,” she said.