Shelter Island’s Overdose Awareness Day

As stated in the Reporter, on July 23, Marquis Douglas of Riverhead was sentenced to 25 years in prison. 

You may not remember Mr. Douglas’s name, but the summer of 2021 deaths of Chef Swainson Brown and five others still resonate deeply on Shelter Island and the North Fork.

Mr. Douglas sold the fentanyl-laced cocaine that killed the six restaurant workers who had no idea it was present. There may be a sense of justice that the severity of his crime has been acknowledged. But the sale of these lethal drugs continues, leading to more and more deaths.

In recognition of the deceased and all the tragic overdoses before and still occurring, we on Shelter Island in 2021 began to dedicate the month of August to Overdose Awareness with an annual commemoration taking place at the end of the month that is consistent with International Overdose Awareness Day.

This marks our fourth year. This year our event will take place on Thursday, Aug. 29.  Once again, the event will take place on the Bateman Road basketball courts at 7 p.m. Everyone is invited to attend.

The event is sponsored by the Shelter Island Health and Wellness Alliance, The Shelter Island School and The Shelter Island Library, with guests from the Town Board and the faith community attending. Everyone is encouraged to wear purple, the color of recovery and hope.

Once again, the inspiration and driving force for this important night comes from Gina Kraus, whose son Evan will always be remembered. Ms. Kraus, a retired teacher, is now becoming well-known to the students at the Shelter Island School, sharing her love and knowledge with them.

The theme of the international day this year is “Together We Can.”

This dovetails well with our Shelter Island theme of “Bravery and Courage.” Our Senior Center members will be painting rocks purple to symbolize resilience. Grievers are encouraged to bring photographs of their loved ones and paint their names on the rocks.

There is no stigma. We are all here to support grievers and those in recovery.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 105,303 drug overdoses occurred in 2023, a decrease of about 2% from the previous year. The slight decrease is good news and can probably be attributed to increased education and use of Narcan, which has saved many lives by reversing overdoses.

But multiply these numbers by the grieving friends and families and the impact remains huge. The overdose mortality rate for Americans in the 15-64 age bracket is 32.4 per 100,000. To put this in perspective, the cancer mortality rate between 2018 and 2022 was 146 deaths per 100,000. How cruel and senseless this is!

But on Aug. 29, while we grieve those we’ve lost, we will be celebrating those in recovery and their loving families who support them. We will hear stories of incredible courage and love, appreciate beautiful music, and join together for hope.

Save the date. If you have never attended this event, now is the time to start.  Our speakers will inspire you. You, too, will become part of this caring and loving community.

Nancy Green is a retired social worker and a member of the Shelter Island Health and Wellness Alliance.