YORKTON – A crowd gathered at City Centre Park the evening of Aug. 30 to recognize International Overdose Awareness Day which took place Aug. 31.
According to Stats Canada, there was a total of 36,442 apparent opioid toxicity deaths between Jan. 2016 and Dec. 2022 with 7,328 opioid toxicity deaths occurring in 2022.
The event held in the park was the result of the efforts from Yorkton's Tiffany Lingel, an overdose survivor who wants to bring awareness to the issue. Lingel also received help from various local organizations including Sask Health Authority’s Turning Point Program, SIGN Positive Impact and Bruno’s Place.
"I think there needs to be something in our community where we can come together and just raise awareness and remember the people who we have lost because there's just such a stigma around drug use," said Lingel in an interview with Yorkton This Week.
"If you see somebody on the street who's a drug addict people are like, 'oh they're just a drug addict' — they are somebody's daughter, they're somebody's son, somebody's mom and somebody's dad — they once were loved by somebody very deeply and somebody does miss them," said Lingel.
Lingel said it was her own past struggles that pushed her to organize the event as well as people who she cares for who currently struggle with addiction.
"I also do have some people who are dear to my heart who are still in active addiction and I just wish and hope for them to come out the other side," said Lingel, adding "I thought maybe if they see me up there that it would shine some light in their direction."
"Literally it (addiction) just takes anybody — it doesn't care," said Lingel.
As for the event, Lingel said she's happy with the turnout, this being the first year it was held.
"For the first year of it happening I was pretty impressed with how many people showed up," said Lingel, "I'm hoping that next year we can put it on again and we'll have an even bigger turnout."
The event had information booths from St. John Ambulance, Bruno’s Place and the SIGN Turning Point Program. Opioid overdose antidote training and kits were available as well as a barbecue provided by Legacy Co-op and care packages provided by local thrift store, Serendipity. A candle light vigil was held to honor those who have lost their lives.
Throughout the event there were several speakers, including Lingel, who detailed her experiences with drug use and the events that surrounded what she called her "last overdose."
The 26-year-old Lingel said she will be four years clean Nov. 13 and is set to attend Suncrest College starting Sept. 5 where she'll be working towards a degree in Social Work.
