Reno community celebrates ‘International Overdose Awareness Day’

 

by Zachary Slotemaker

August 29, 2019

RENO, Nev. (News 4 & Fox 11) — Around a hundred Reno community members came together Thursday afternoon for “International Overdose Awareness Day.”

The event was put on by the Join Together Northern Nevada organization.

Community members and organizations all gathered at Reno City Plaza to walking along the Truckee River to Wingfield Park in honor of Overdose Awareness Day.

Event official, Jennifer Delett-Snyder, said that the goal of the event was to acknowledge those lost, those struggling, and those grieving over the impacts of overdoses.

Delett-Snyder said,

“This is an opportunity for them to be together with others who have experienced the same thing whether it’s a family member or a friend…

Each attendee walked with a flower and paper heart in hand. Each heart carrying an important message about drug addiction, lost loved ones, and overdoses.

Reno resident, Shonna Mann, wrote on her heart ” Death does not have to be the end of your addiction.”

Mann has been clean for seven months and said the message behind her heart was to not give up hope for a better life.