
Sabina Ramey of the Elijah’s Truth Foundation welcomes the crowd to last year’s overdose awareness event. File photo

Andrew Hill addresses the Rotary Club. Submitted photo
Hello Wadsworth.
“Not one more.”
I hear myself saying this phrase in my head each week when I am going through police reports and see yet another drug overdose. It seems we have been fortunate in Wadsworth. Much more often than not police officers or EMS personnel are successful in administering Narcan and the victim survives. But I still realize for this victim and his or her family there is still the heartbreak that comes with battling a very nasty addiction.
It seems very fitting that this year’s Overdose Awareness Day has the theme of “Not One More.”
Just as they did last year the Wadsworth Drug Free Community Coalition and Elijah’s Truth Foundation are teaming up to host this special event in Memorial Park from 3 to 9 p.m. Aug. 31.
The event will include information tables from area recovery resources, music from Wadsworth Community Radio, food, T-shirts and fun for the entire family from 3 to 5 p.m. Speakers including Superintendent Andrew Hill and Nick Bianco of Bianco Accommodations, will begin at 5 p.m. At 8 p.m. there will be a candlelight vigil.
Participants can bring a non-perishable food item or a personal care item to be entered into a drawing to win a T-shirt. All items will benefit the residents at Bianco Accommodations and Elijah’s Truth Foundation.
The purpose of this event is to break the stigma surrounding addiction, to learn more about local resources and to remember fellow citizens we have lost.
After seeing so many people lose their own lives or lose loved ones over this horrible epidemic it is my hope that events like this will bring this battle to the forefront so we can work together as a community and truly address this problem.
For more information about the event log on to drugfreewadsworth.org.
Now let’s take a look around town.
Looking for veterans
When planning a special tribute to local veterans, organizers want to make sure veterans from all conflicts are represented.
American Legion 170 and the Wadsworth VFW, along with Wadsworth City Schools have planned a tribute to all Wadsworth veterans and invite those that have graduated from Wadsworth High School to take part in football activities associated with the Sept. 1 Grizzlies football game.
Those interested in attending a team meal on Thursday and also finding out more about the tribute should contact Joe Rodgers at the American Legion at 330-334-1119. There is limited space, so reservations are necessary.
Joe also told me recently that he hasn’t been able to reach out to any Korean War veterans or World War II veterans. He said any veterans from one of these conflicts should call him at the legion if they are interested in participating in this event.
Rotary News
The Rotary Club of Wadsworth recently heard from Superintendent Andrew Hill who gave the club an update on the state of the schools.
When comparing Wadsworth’s score with statewide evaluations, Wadsworth received its low scores where a large number of schools received a low score and Hill explained that Wadsworth’s overall score is still significantly higher than the state average.
Also the Wadsworth Kiwanis Club joined the Rotarians in a last minute drive to send used T-shirts to Nicaragua. Some of the women in Nicaragua with sewing machines use the shirts to make cloth diapers for needy mothers.
The staff of the Elsass Financial Group assisted in this collection.
Chamber luncheon
The Wadsworth Area Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly luncheon Aug. 30 at The Galaxy, 201 Park Center Drive. Social networking is at 11 a.m. with lunch and a program from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The program is the second in the Success Series with a presentation by W.S. Bicksler Electric. The company was founded in 1914 and is a family owned multi generational store and the oldest retail business in Wadsworth.
Wadsworth chamber members as well as members of the community are invited to attend. Anyone interested should RSVP by Aug. 25 to 330-336-6150 or business@wadsworthchamber.com. Lunch is $15.
Wadsworth Young Professionals
Wadsworth Young Professionals, a community outreach of the Wadsworth Area Chamber of Commerce, is hosting their monthly signature program Mochas and Mentors Aug. 31 from 8 to 9 a.m. at the Soprema Senior Center, 617 School Drive. The guest mentor is Amy Lyon-Galvin, sanitary engineer at the Medina County Recycling Center.
For more information regarding the Wadsworth Young Professionals or other programs of the chamber call 330-336-6150 or send an email to business@wadsworthchamber.com.
Contact me
As always, I look forward to hearing from you and I’m always happy to put submissions from readers in this column. Feel free to e-mail me at edean@thepostnewspapers.com or call me at 330-620-1067 to fill me in on an event your organization hosted, an accomplishment by a special person in the city or anything else you think our readers might want to know about.