LAURINBURG — As a hot sun from a clear blue sky blistered downtown Laurinburg, 19 people came to the Sculpture Garden next to the A.B. Gibson Center at noon on Friday for a vigil to pay respects and, more importantly, get the word out about the local and national opioid overdose epidemic.
The event was in observance of International Overdose Awareness Day, which will be Saturday, Aug. 31. The vigil was organized by the Scotland County Opioid Prevention and Education Network in place of its regular monthly meeting.
“We are very concerned with what is going on in this county with opioids,” said William Sellers of Eastpointe.
He added that, in 2017 along, 47,000 people died from opioid overdoses, which is a number 12,000 more than Scotland County’s population. According to local statistics, the county lost five people in one week alone this year to opioids.
“This a battle we must win,” said State Rep. Garland Pierce. “Opioids affects entire families; it’s a terrible epidemic.”
Among those who attended the vigil were County Commissioner Whit Gibson, Scotland County DSS Director April Snead, Dr. Bill Purcell, Dorothy Tyson, Jim and Frances Willis, Public Health Educator Kathie Cox and several others.
Several pairs of footwear were arranged on the stage to represent those of all ages who have been lost in Scotland County, and colorful pinwheels blew in the wind.
“This is an extremely emotional issue for me,” Cox told the group. “I don’t want the day to come when someone knocks on my door and says my son has died.
“I don’t want to be part of this, but I am,” she added. “These drugs are just so bad (and) it affects all of us.”
The Scotland County OPEN group meets once a month for lunch. Anyone interested in becoming a part of the group can contact Cox at kcox@scotlandcounty.org.
W. Curt Vincent can be reached at 910-506-3023 or cvincent@laurinburgexch.wpenginepowered.com.
