Third Annual S.A.R.A.H. Rally to Fight Addiction

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Annual Rocking for Robbie Fundraiser event at Nicholls
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Seeking Actions Raising Awareness and Hope (S.A.R.A.H) will host its 3rd Annual Candlelight Vigil on Saturday, March 19, from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m., at the Downtown Courthouse Square. The annual rally is held in honor of the life of Sarah Beth Pellegrin, calling for the end to the nation’s epidemic of addiction and overdose deaths attributed to opioids.

In loving memory of her daughter’s life, Renee Dryden Bertinot founded the non-profit organization after doing months of research and discovering the lack of resources available to individuals who are battling addiction. “Back in 2018, Renee lost her daughter Sarah to an overdose. She relapsed and she thought she was getting heroin but she was actually getting fentanyl, she was one of five cases they had down here at the time,” said Michelle Eschete, Co-Founder of S.A.R.A.H. “Renee and I decided to do research on addiction, and what was available in our community because she shared with me that Sarah struggled a lot with being away from her children and family.”

“We started looking around, I called the local narcotics and the sheriff’s department and they couldn’t provide any resources for rehabs or transitional houses. When we really started talking about what was needed, we realized that we have no transitional homes in our area for women. That’s key to continuing their recovery, most times the addict does their recovery time and they are sent back out into the community without a support system.” Eschete added.


Eschete said the lack of support provided to individuals once being released from recovery is the leading cause of addiction relapse. “When they come out of recovery they don’t know where to go, so most times they end up back in their old neighborhood with old friends, which can trigger a relapse. That’s why we started the S.A.R.A.H organization, no one talked about addiction and what was going on in the area. After Sarah died, people were coming up to Renee sharing that their child died too. You don’t hear that because it wasn’t spoken about. That’s why we started this, we want to get the word out and let people know there is hope, there is support, and we are here. We want to erase the stigma that is placed on addiction and mental health, and let people know it’s okay to say they need help, that is why we created this organization.”

This year’s rally theme is “Addiction: Could You Recognize It.” The event will feature guest speakers from the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, the DEA, founder Renee Bertinot, and others. Various local churches will be in attendance, providing resources including information on the 12 step program, and the Tri-Parish agency discussing the impact opioid addiction has on the body.

In addition, the rally will host live entertainment, food and drinks, raffle prizes, and an art auction with all proceeds benefiting Women’s Restoration, a Thibodaux-based non-profit organization, dedicated to helping women overcome addiction from a Christ-centered perspective.


Bertinot said her wish is to help save lives through his daughter’s legacy by spreading awareness and providing support to those in need. “Every life is precious and has meaning and every life touches other lives. We are all connected. Sarah’s legacy is her children and the family that love her. As a result of her death, we formed this organization in the hopes that we could bring awareness to the opioid epidemic at the same time it is our mission to educate the public and individuals as well as bring hope that recovery from addiction is possible,” she explained.

For more information, contact SarahsPlace@gmail.com or visit them on Facebook.