Reading Coalition To Host Overdose Awareness Day Event

READING, MA — An event recognizing International Overdose Awareness Day will be Aug. 31 at 6 p.m. at the Reading Town Common.

The event is a joint effort by the Reading Police Department, the Reading Coalition for Prevention & Support, and the Mystic Valley Public Health Coalition.

Speakers will include Reading Town Manager Fidel Maltez and Director Erica McNamara of the Reading Coalition for Prevention and Support.

International Overdose Awareness Day "seeks to facilitate a better understanding of overdose, reduce the stigma of drug-related deaths, and create change that reduces the harms associated with drug misuse," according to a statement.

This year's theme is “Recognizing those people who go unseen.”

At the event and for the week following, the community is invited to view the regional story-gathering exhibit — A Walk to Remember — on the Town Common.

Stories from around the region will be displayed to remember those lost to substance misuse and suicide.

To learn more about International Overdose Awareness Day, visit https://www.overdoseday.com/.