At the January Substance Use Prevention Partnership (SUPP) meeting, Healthy Lincoln County (HLC) announced plans for a series of public events throughout Lincoln County in recognition of International Overdose Awareness Day, held globally on Aug. 31 to raise awareness of overdoses, reduce the stigma of drug-related deaths and pay tribute to the grief felt by surviving families and friends.

“We want to mark the day by using art, music, prose, and poetry to share and honor stories of friends, families, neighbors and communities around Lincoln County affected by the opioid epidemic, which touches every community and yet is rarely spoken of,” says Kelsey Robinson, HLC’s director.

“Our goal is to create nonjudgmental (and even celebratory) spaces for people who too often feel shame, blame and guilt about themselves and their loved ones, and to come together as a community, in fellowship and care. Folks who believe they’ve not been directly touched will better understand the real cost of this problem, and the depth of its impact on neighbors and friends,” she adds.

Will Matteson, HLC’s Substance Use Prevention coordinator, will lead the planning of the project, along with Peter Bruun, a Damariscotta artist, curator and activist who has dedicated himself to using art and public programs to challenge stigma associated with substance use.

“Because he’s been affected personally by the opioid epidemic, Peter is just the professional to coordinate this project,” notes Matteson. “He’s gotten national recognition for his work challenging stigma, including a commendation from Michael Bloomberg at the 2018 Bloomberg American Health Summit, and he’s also a father who lost his daughter to an accidental overdose.”

His national track record of leading arts-based projects has taught Bruun that the best events are the ones communities pitch in to create.

“Based on my experience programming more than 100 events in the past 8 years, I know that this kind of project must be co-created with stakeholders from all parts of the community: caring professionals, those who have been touched by loss or whose lives have been profoundly affected by substances – really, anyone who cares. The truth is, we’re all in this together,” he says.

To that end, Matteson and Bruun are creating task forces (ad hoc groups to offer guidance, suggestions, expertise, volunteer services and connections to resources) made up of volunteers interested in helping to make the Aug. 31 events a reality.

“We’re not looking for a major commitment – we just want people to participate however they can,” says Matteson. “We’re very flexible.”

While task forces will contain some members of the SUPP coalition, Bruun and Matteson want to reach outside that group in their planning process. “We definitely want to work with whoever wants to be a part of this,” says Matteson.

“Aug. 31 may seem a long way off, but to plan something like this well takes months,” says Bruun. “The sooner we hear from people who want to join in, the better – ideally, before January is over.”

Those interested in learning more about the project or volunteering in the planning process can do so by completing an interest survey which is easily found at healthylincolncounty.org.