Vigil of Hope against addiction — Not waiting until problems are at your door

The goals stated for the Shelter Island’s Sixth Annual Vigil of Hope — a community gathering focusing on drug addiction — are to engage, support, prevent and inspire.

All speakers have ties to Shelter Island, said Gina Kraus, a member of the Town’s Health & Wellness Committee, who is the primary organizer of the event sponsored by the committee, the Police Department and the Shelter Island Library.

If past programs had a major focus on addiction, particularly opioids, this year’s hasn’t abandoned the goal to assist those addicted, and widens the subject to deal with grief for those family members who have lost loved ones to substances, not only opioids.

“How hard it is — the journey of grief,” Ms. Kraus said. “It’s all about the journey,” she said.

Ms. Kraus has walked that walk with the loss of her son Evan to opioids, and has turned her grief to helping others.

If she has a message she hopes will reach people, it’s don’t think it can’t touch you and it’s never too early to grasp the tools to guide you in assisting loved ones.

This year’s speakers — at the Fiske Field basketball court on Aug. 27 — include Town Social Worker Alexandra Hakim, who will share what services are available to those struggling and needing support in their battles to end addictions and those who are grieving the loss of others who have succumbed to addictions.

Ms. Kraus has reached out to Alcoholics Anonymous for advice about what else can be added to services that exist to provide additional support. With the program still being developed, there will be others, including a few who have opted to share their stories but chosen not to be identified until the event.

Past speakers have shared with Ms. Kraus how hard they found it was from what they expected. No matter how long ago it may have been since they fought an addiction, or how long since they lost a relative or friend, the feelings they experienced are not deeply buried.

This year’s Vigil of Hope will provide a brief question and answer period with cards distributed to attendees that will be collected and reviewed by Health & Wellness Committee member and Reporter columnist Nancy Green.

Funding for the event comes from a grant the Police Department receives to present programs throughout the year dealing with addictions. The Vigil will include representatives of services who will share information about what they can offer those fighting addictions and the people who love them.

Again, this year’s Vigil will be at the Fiske Field basketball court on Aug. 27, starting at 6:30 p.m., so there’s time at the end of the program for attendees to visit tables with information they may find useful, and speak to the representatives from the organizations represented.