As overdose deaths continue to affect communities across the country, a local awareness event this weekend in Sterling will call for prevention, remembrance and action.

The Sauk Valley Voices of Recovery will host an overdose awareness event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 31, at the Grandon Civic Center, 304 Brinks Circle. SVVOR Chief Operating Officer Lauren Metzler said participants are encouraged to bring their own awareness signs and join the group on the roadside to help draw attention to the cause.

“I want people to get out there with us to make some noise and be seen so that people driving by can see what we’re doing and why this is so important,” Metzler said.

The event also will offer free supplies, including Narcan and fentanyl testing strips, as well as information about Tevin’s Tribe – a support community where families can honor and remember loved ones lost to addiction.

“I will also have photos of our loved ones from Tevin’s Tribe outside for the cars driving by to see,” Metzler said. “I’ll also have bouquets of flowers for people so that they can set a flower by their loved one’s photo to honor and remember them.”

Metzler started Tevin’s Tribe as a way to honor her late brother, Tevin Shae Rumley, who lost his life to fentanyl poisoning in 2020. Since then, Metzler has channeled her grief into action, dedicating herself to helping others affected by the opioid crisis. Earlier this year, she helped cut the ribbon on Cledy’s House of Hope, a 42-bed sober-living facility for women in Rock Falls.

“I want to raise awareness within the community and let them know that something needs to happen,” Metzler said. “I want people to be aware of the potential of this happening as well as encourage people to use preventative measures.”

An estimated 80,000 people died from drug overdoses in the U.S. in 2024, according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – an almost 27% drop from the year before.

A recent CDC-backed review found that distributing naloxone – commonly known as Narcan – in community settings is highly effective at preventing fatal overdoses. The review showed that programs that directly serve people who use drugs reported the highest survival rate at over 98%, while programs involving families and police also showed survival rates above 90%. The findings support continued efforts to expand access to naloxone as a public health strategy.

“I think everyone should have Narcan and know how to administer it,” Metzler said. “You never know – you could be at a restaurant or walking down the road and see someone overdosing.”

SVVOR is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the recovery community through resources and advocacy for everyone affected by alcoholism and substance use disorder. It also runs the Legacy Sober Living Home for Men in Dixon.

For more information, visit svvor.org or tevinstribe.com.