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Join Seeking Action Raising Awareness and Hope (S.A.R.A.H.) for an International Overdose Awareness Day rally on August 28 at the Houma Courthouse Square from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in remembrance of those who have been lost to addiction, to encourage those still in the struggle, and to offer support to those in need.
The event will be a rally and candlelight vigil that will feature guest speakers, music, food, resources, and remembrance for those lost to addiction. The organization’s mission is to “put a face on addiction, to bring hurting hearts together, and to stand together to bring awareness to the opioid epidemic in our community.”
The organization was founded by Renee Bertinot as an acronym using her daughter’s name, Sarah. Renee lost Sarah to a drug overdose and has since then advocated for addiction and the rising opioid epidemic. In a video posted online, she stated there are many reasons they do the International Overdose Awareness Rally. She wants people to understand that addiction is a disease, and although people do choose to do drugs the first and second times, it quickly takes over their lives, and they are quickly out of control until they end up losing everything they have. She said she also wants to do the rally because the people that are caught in addiction or succumbed to the awful disease are loved. They have families; they have mothers, and fathers, brothers, sisters, and many times children are involved. She said these families want to see their loved ones change and want them back. “There are a few things I want to say to you,” she said, “If you are in addiction, I’d like to say to you, there is hope that you can get in recovery, that you can get better, that you can have a productive life, and that your life is worth saving. That you are worth it and you have something to contribute to society as a whole. You have something to contribute to your family, to your children, there are resources out there in place to help you, but ultimately, you have to be the one who wants to get that help.”
She said she’s met people in addition who were not ready to get help and has met people who are in recovery because they realized that they were tired of the life they were living and if they didn’t do anything drastic, they were going to die. “If you are not ready or willing to treatment and you don’t want to get help right now,” she urged, “and you have family members who you love and who love you, then I would urge you to sit down for just a minute to think about what your death is going to do to them. Think about your children. I know you might say, oh, my kids are better off without me. No, your kids are better if you get into recovery, and they can live life with you.” Click here to watch the full heartfelt video.
