DanversCARES Announces 6th Annual 'Light The Night Purple'

Danvers MA

12 April, 2022

4:17 PM

Description

DanversCARES, a dynamic community partnership that supports youth and families in making healthy decisions, announces the return of Light The Night Purple. The walk and community gathering, which raises awareness of opiate and other substance use disorders and encourages hope, help, and recovery, will be held on May 4, 2022 at the Peabody Institute Library in Danvers. 'This is an important community event that we are very happy to host again," said Whitney McNeilly, Program Coordinator at DanversCARES. "While we held a virtual event in 2020, this event is designed for people to come together to support those in recovery and show there is hope for a healthier future." "Recovery Centers of America is proud to be the title sponsor of the Light The Night Purple again this year," said Kat Stevens, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Recovery Centers of America at Danvers. "We work with people battling the disease of addiction every day and know firsthand how important it is for them to feel that there is support from their family, friends, and the community." The event starts at 6:30pm with walk registration and community resources. Brief remarks at 7:00pm will kick-off the one-mile walk led by the color guard from the Danvers High School Marching Band. When walkers return, they will hear from the Danvers High School acapella group Sky Waze, Lisa Fournier, who will share her story of recovery, and a member of the clergy, followed by the lighting of luminaries. The first 150 people will receive a free t-shirt. "I'm looking forward to sharing my story of recovery," said Lisa Fournier, a Licensed Practical Nurse at Recovery Centers of America. "Addiction is a disease that I have battled for years and one that took the life of my 24-year-old son. Like many diseases, it can be scary, but we need to continue to remove the stigma associated with it and show that there is hope through recovery." New this year, family and friends can show their support of a loved one in recovery from a substance use disorder at Light the Night Purple. For a donation of $25 (or more) you will receive a personalized sign along the Rail Trail segment of the Light the Night Purple walk. You can share a custom message of hope and recovery up to 50 characters in length. If you want to purchase a sign, please contact Andy St. Pierre at [email protected] by April 21, 2022. DanversCARES invites residents and businesses to support Light The Night Purple on May 4th. In addition to attending the event, some of the ways you can show your support include: ● Wearing purple or a purple ribbon (the color of recovery) ● Tie a purple ribbon around your lamppost, mailbox, door, or window ● Display a Light The Night Purple poster in your window (available upon request) ● Change one or more of your exterior lights to purple In addition to Recovery Centers of America, other sponsors of Light The Night Purple include Rockland Trust, Lahey Health Behavioral Services, Kiwanis, Maple Street Church, Office of the Essex County District Attorney, North Shore Bank, Danvers Community Access Television (DCAT), and St. John's Prep. For more information visit www.Danverscares.org.