New 'Hero Project' Group in Bethel Aims to Address CT Heroin and Opiate Addiction

Report by Paula Antolini
January 17, 2016 2:41PM EST

New “Hero Project” Group in Bethel Aims to Address CT Heroin and Opiate Addiction Problem, Bring Awareness, Save Lives

A small group of concerned citizens gathered in Bethel this past Sunday to brainstorm about how to bring awareness to the heroin and opiates addiction problem plaguing young people in our Connecticut communities, and how to save lives. They quickly realized there are many aspects to address concerning this issue including how to determine if your child is at risk and what parents can do, or who whom they can turn for advice or solutions, if there is a problem with drugs.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, (National Center for Health Statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) the heroin and opiate overdose death rates have been climbing at an alarming rate. (View the chart in photo above.)

Bethel native Donald E. Olson, 43, leading the group, decided he wanted to attack this issue head-on because he and his family experienced the devastating sudden loss of a young family member in May 2015, due to addiction. The relative was found overdosed in a hotel room. Olsen formed a group called “Hero Project” to try and stop this from ever happening to anyone else ever again. The name represents “Heroine Education to Resist Opiates.” Olson said he wanted to “save one life at a time.”

The Olsons were unaware the addicted person was even using drugs. He had us all fooled,” Olson said. Several family members stated that they were even unknowingly driving the addict to the drug dealer’s home. They are not alone in this scenario, as it is happening across the nation and statistics of overdose death have risen dramatically.

The first meeting of Hero Project, labeled a “heroin and opiate awareness event,” took place in Bethel this past Sunday and lasted about 2 1/2 hours. Olson had previously set up a Facebook page to see if there was any interest and there were over 1400 interested at first and now that number is over 5,000 and climbing. People are eager to participate in this project.

Olson then decided to keep the first meeting location private and chose a handful of people to attend, to begin the process, intending on enlarging the group later. Initial meeting attendees included professionals in the field of addiction recovery, news media, individuals and family members affected by addiction and loss, and other professionals who could help with ideas on how to address the addiction problem. In attendance were: Donald E. Olson, Donald W. Olson Senior (dad), Kathy Olson (mom), Jeff McKenna, Julia Ambrosi, Paula Antolini, Bobbie Cahill, Jenn Henry Lawlor, and Dan Bishop.

Click here to continue reading more about the group, the first meeting, and about the effect of drugs.

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