Annual Natick Substance Use Disorder Vigil Will Go On In 2020

Natick MA

02 December, 2020

2:16 PM

Description

NATICK, MA — Natick's annual interfaith vigil for people who died of substance-use disorder will go on this year, but organizers are moving the event online due to the coronavirus pandemic. This year will mark Natick's 7th annual interfaith vigil, which is held each December for family members struggling during the holiday season. This year's event will feature music, speakers and prayer. Organizers are also offering family members the chance to submit photos or names of people lost to substance-use disorder for a video that will run during the event. As in recent years, attendees will be able to take an overdose prevention class immediately after the vigil. Members of the Journey Bereavement Group will also be available to talk. Opioid-related overdose deaths have been falling each year since the peak of 2,102 deaths in 2016. But thousands of state residents are dying each year. There had been 1,517 deaths statewide in 2020 by the end of November, according to the state Department of Public Health. In 2019, the latest year data is available, five Natick residents died of an overdose. Twenty-four town residents have died of an overdose since 2015, according to DPH. The annual vigil is a joint effort sponsored by the Natick Interfaith Clergy Association, Natick 180, SPARK Kindness, SOAR Natick, Natick Community Services, Natick police, Natick firefighters and Natick Public Schools. The 2020 interfaith vigil begins at 7 p.m. on Dec. 13 on Zoom. Register for the vigil here.