LYNNFIELD — The Think of Michael Foundation (TOM) and A Healthy Lynnfield (AHL) will come together Sunday, Sept.18 to host the 4th Night of Hope.
The event, which commemorates National Recovery Month, begins at 6 p.m. at Lynnfield Middle School where participants will proceed to the Town Common for a brief speaking program, lighting of purple votives (purple is the color of recovery), and hanging of stars with messages of hope for those struggling with substance use disorder and those who have lost loved ones to addiction.
“This is a fine night to get everybody together in the community, to make the community aware of the addiction, talk about it, erase the stigma,” said TOM President Carmela Dalton.
“National Recovery Month recognizes the journey that people that have substance-use disorders embark on to remain healthy,” said AHL Substance Abuse Prevention Coordinator Peg Sallade. “It is meant to celebrate hope and encourage others who struggle with the disease of substance abuse in a very encouraging way.”
One of the event’s goals is to help erase the stigma and misconceptions that cloud the public’s understanding of mental health and substance use disorders. The event also seeks to promote substance-use disorder recovery, raise awareness, and remember lost loved ones lost to addiction and serves as a reminder that treatment is effective and that people can and do recover. Information about resources and available programs will be provided by local resource tables.
“We always try to make these events community- and family-friendly and help people know that there are opportunities for recovery in the community,” said Julie Greene, AHL’s Drug-Free Communities program coordinator. “It’s about helping them feel that this message of hope is for them. It’s about sending a message of hope to help those who are struggling and break the stigma of what addiction looks like.”
Sallade said that during the pandemic, substance-use rates have increased nationally. More than 40 U.S. states have seen increases in opioid-related deaths, according to the American Medical Association.
“Substance use knows no borders,” said Sallade. “Lynnfield is not unlike any other community.”
TOM is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to help individuals and families battling substance use disorder (SUD) and help create effective change where change is needed. The organization was founded by the Dick and Carmela Dalton family after Dick and Carmela’s 39-year-old son, Michael, died in 2018 following an accidental overdose while in recovery. The organization provides sober-house scholarships, recovery advocacy and resources, and other services.
A Healthy Lynnfield is a community partnership that aims to empower residents to make positive choices every day. AHL works to prevent substance misuse, to improve the quality of life for those impacted, to support programs that help all young people thrive, and to provide access to treatment and recovery resources in Lynnfield.
For event information contact Carmela Dalton, at the TOM Foundation at [email protected] or Peg Sallade at AHL at [email protected].
Anne Marie Tobin can be reached at [email protected].
