Families and friends of those who have died from a drug overdose and those recovering from addiction will gather today at the Allen Parish Community Healthcare Hospital to commemorate the International Overdose Awareness Day.

The event, organized by the New Vision Withdrawal Management, will take place at 5:30 p.m. today, Aug. 31, under the tent located near the emergency room at 108 Sixth Avenue in Kinder.

“The purpose of the event is to bring awareness to the community on overdose deaths,”  said Shanna Foley, administrator of New Vision. “But we also want to remember those who have passed due to overdose, and to celebrate those in recovery.”

Southwest Louisiana, which includes Allen, Beauregard, Calcasie, Cameron and Jeff Davis parishes, has seen an increase in overdose deaths and opioid-involved deaths continue to rise.

Foley attributes the increase to the lack of knowledge.

“We want to bring an awareness to the community about overdose deaths, withdrawal management and the use of Narcan,” she said.

The guest speakers will be Judy Hebert, the mother of 19-year-old Gabriella “Gabby” Hebert, who died after taking a fentanyl-laced pill, and Sheriff Doug Hebert III, who is Gabby’s uncle.

Gabriella Hebert is the namesake of Gabby’s Law, which legalized fentanyl testing strips and other testing devices in Louisiana.

“Hopefully this will bring an awareness to the community because we know our kids are vaping and smoking marijuana that could be laced with fentanyl,” Foley said.

Foley urges everyone in the community to attend the event to remember those who have died of overdoses and lift up those who continue to struggle with addiction and substance abuse. Those attending are urged to wear purple.

The theme for this year’s event is “Recognizing those people who go unseen.”

This is the first event of its kind for Allen Parish and Foley hopes to make it an annual event as part of the International Overdose Awareness Day. International Overdose Awareness Day is a worldwide event held annually on Aug. 31 to raise awareness about overdose, reduce the stigma of drug-related deaths and acknowledge the grief of family and friends affected by drug use.