Carroll County to host first Overdose Awareness Day event
Health department staff participating in Overdose Awareness Day Aug. 28 at 5 p.m. include, from left, Jessica Slater, Sarah Atkinson, Tina Bernard, Tonya Phillips, Amy Campbell, Kelly A. Morris, Brianna Burkhart, Theresa Harrison and Angela Pavlik.
Submitted
The Carroll County General Health District will host its first Overdose Awareness Day Thursday, Aug. 28, from 5-8 p.m. at the Fraternal Order of Eagles, 1270 Brenner Road in Carrollton.
The communitywide event is being held in recognition of International Overdose Awareness Day to honor lives lost to overdose, support those in recovery and raise awareness. The evening will feature a memorial tribute, keynote speaker, free naloxone (Narcan) training and distribution, music, free food and access to local resources. The event is free and open to the public.
In 2023, 32 Carroll County residents visited the emergency department for suspected drug overdoses, and five died from unintentional overdoses. According to the 2024 Carroll County Community Health Assessment, one in three residents knows someone who has experienced a drug overdose.
This year's keynote speaker is Kyle Overmyer, former Sandusky County sheriff and the youngest elected sheriff in Ohio at the time. While in office, Overmyer was prescribed opiates for arthritis pain, which led to addiction, legal trouble and a four-year prison sentence. He is now a motivational speaker, addiction and mental health advocate, Certified Chemical Dependency Counseling Assistant and co-founder of KO Addiction.
“We're honored to host this event for the Carroll County community,” Health Commissioner Kelly Morris said. “Overdose Awareness Day is both a time to remember those we've lost and a call to action. It's about connecting people to lifesaving resources and reminding individuals and families affected by addiction that they are seen, supported and never alone.”
Local organizations will provide information and support, including the Carroll County Project DAWN program, which offers free overdose education and Narcan kits. For more information, call 330-627-4866, ext. 1559.
