Chadd Cawson is among those who can put a name and a face to one of the countless thousands of people lost due to the toxic drug crisis. ItB次元官网网址檚 his sister Jeni Leigh.

Cawson, a reporter at the Cowichan Valley Citizen who grew up in Winnipeg, is new to the area and has organized an awareness walk to not only honour and remember his sister, but for the other families similarly impacted and as a means of bringing the community together in support. The walk will take place in Crofton on International Overdose Awareness Day next Thursday, Aug. 31 from 7-8:30 p.m., utilizing the park by the ferry terminal and the Crofton Sea Walk.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 hoping people will come out,B次元官网网址� said Cawson. B次元官网网址淚t was last-minute for me to decide to do it here over the last two weeks. I was originally going to head back to Winnipeg but thought it was important to do something in North Cowichan.

B次元官网网址淚 think it is imperative for people to unite together on this day and remember our lost loved ones, as this rising worldwide crisis affects us all. It is crucial that we end the stigma around overdose deaths and start those hard conversations and let those that are grieving their lost loved ones know that they are not alone. We need to continue to remember and honour them.B次元官网网址�

The program will begin by the Crofton Welcomes You sign in the park with a performance by the Tzinquaw Dancers and contemporary music on the piano by David Chung from 7-8 p.m.

B次元官网网址淎t eight oB次元官网网址檆lock, weB次元官网网址檒l walk to the end of the sea walk and loop back around,B次元官网网址� said Cawson.

People are asked to wear purple, the designated colour for the cause. Cawson hopes to have T-shirts available for future walks, but will distribute purple ribbons and purple glowsticks to light up the procession at dusk.

Donations will be accepted at the site for the Hope Healing Farm on Drinkwater Road in Duncan.

The allure of the ocean and the scenic beauty of the sea walk drew Cawson to hold the event there. He lives in Duncan, but drives to Crofton at least once a week because he loves being near the water, much like his sister did.

B次元官网网址淭he waterB次元官网网址檚 always been very important to me,B次元官网网址� said Cawson. B次元官网网址淢e and my sister were both water signs. We both found water a healing place.

B次元官网网址淭he sea walk especially spoke to me. I love the memorial totem at the beginning of it and I am looking at trying to get the only bench that currently does not have a plaque on it dedicated not only to my sister, but all that have lost loved ones to this epidemic.B次元官网网址�

CawsonB次元官网网址檚 nephew and nieceB次元官网网址檚 dad lived on Salt Spring Island for a brief time so they passed through the area a few times, another of the little reasons why Crofton had appeal.

Cawson lost his sister to the toxic drug crisis in 2017. She was 37.

Jeni was living in Fort Lauderdale at the time and her two children still live there with their grandparents on their fatherB次元官网网址檚 side. Cawson and his sister both spent a considerable part of their lives in Winnipeg.

In 2018, Cawson started ManitobaB次元官网网址檚 first overdose awareness walk in honour of his sister whom he also called his best friend. He dubbed the event B次元官网网址楧rop The Needle, Pick Up The PaceB次元官网网址�.

B次元官网网址淚 did it as a healing avenue for myself,B次元官网网址� Cawson said. B次元官网网址淚t affects people differently. I ended up attracting a community of people impacted by this.

B次元官网网址淚t brings people together. ItB次元官网网址檚 only now with the tainted drugs out there itB次元官网网址檚 stealing lives. Not everyone has a strong support system. When life gets hard, they might turn to other things to cope.B次元官网网址�

There were difficult times for Cawson and Jeni growing up. B次元官网网址淚t was me and her against the world at an early age,B次元官网网址� he noted.

In JeniB次元官网网址檚 case, she met a man who led her down a dark path in later years.

B次元官网网址淓verybody loved her,B次元官网网址� said Cawson. B次元官网网址淪he lit up a room just by entering it. I was very proud of her as a big brother.B次元官网网址�

The first year of the walk in Winnipeg, which has a huge meth crisis according to Cawson, was very emotional and united strangers through tragedy. It started at the Forks in Winnipeg where the rivers meet and had a DJ and the Winnipeg sign lit purple.

The B次元官网网址楧rop The Needle, Pick Up The PaceB次元官网网址� label applied for two years and then Cawson moved to Thailand to teach English in 2019 before rebranding it as B次元官网网址楢 Walk For JB次元官网网址� for a virtual event in 2020 due to COVID.

While living in Victoria in 2021, Cawson organized another awareness walk there. The Canada sign in Victoria was also lit purple in an effort to signify shining a light on overdose awareness and how the epidemic affects everyone.

B次元官网网址淟ast August 31, I flew back to Winnipeg from Invermere when I was working for the Pioneer,B次元官网网址� he indicated, as he resumed the walk in his hometown. B次元官网网址淚t was originally my intent to go back to Winnipeg again this year, but with it just being not the most positive place for me anymore, I want to try to build connections and community now that I am living in the valley.B次元官网网址�

The event has been near the water every year since inception in 2018 and now CroftonB次元官网网址檚 the home base going forward for B次元官网网址楢 Walk For J at Osborne BayB次元官网网址�, with Cawson intending to build on it next year.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 nice IB次元官网网址檓 bringing it to different places,B次元官网网址� he said.

Cawson added itB次元官网网址檚 crucial for our government to find better solutions for this rising epidemic, as every life taken too soon to the toxic drug crisis is someoneB次元官网网址檚 special someone.

B次元官网网址淚t is important to advocate for safe supply and sites as they save lives. The sad reality is rehabilitation programs are not accessible for everyone because they are so expensive or have too long of wait times and the people that need help the most fall through the cracks.

B次元官网网址淭he toxic drug crisis and overdose epidemic does not discriminate, it does not know race, culture, age, gender or class. It affects us all. It is important that we end the stigma surrounding this and not be ashamed of those we lost or those that are currently struggling with addiction issues. It could happen to anyone, and it does. Spreading awareness, and being the best versions of ourselves is how we honour the fallen.

B次元官网网址淚 hope people who have lost a loved one to this growing epidemic like me find healing and know they are not alone. Spreading awareness starts conversations and the more we talk about it and end the preconceived stigmas around it, the more we can affect change and save lives. This International Overdose Awareness Day, let it be a day to remember, and a day to act.B次元官网网址�