Flint, Michigan – Steady rain could not keep more than 100 people away from Genesee County’s front porch Monday, where a day of remembrance became a visible show of solidarity for families, survivors and supporters affected by overdose.
Many arrived together after walking roughly 1.5 miles through Flint, carrying with them the central message behind Remember & Rise Genesee County: remember the people who have been lost, while continuing to protect those who can still be saved.
The community gathering was held in recognition of International Overdose Awareness Day. Participants began the day at New Paths, Inc., with a walk from the organization’s Flint campus to the Genesee County Administration Building.
Rain followed them along the route, but the weather did little to slow the group. Survivors, supporters and community members made the journey together before gathering outside the county building for the remainder of the event.
Genesee County Board of Commissioners Chairman Dale K. Weighill welcomed attendees and delivered opening remarks. He also read a Board resolution formally recognizing International Overdose Awareness Day in Genesee County.
The gathering gave families and friends space to do something that can be both deeply personal and painfully public: remember someone whose life was lost to overdose.
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A memorial area was available for that purpose, allowing attendees to honor loved ones while standing alongside others who have experienced similar loss.
Remember & Rise also looked beyond remembrance. Speakers addressed those gathered, while community organizations were on hand to connect people with resources and support available throughout Genesee County.
That combination, grief, support and hope, shaped the event. The people who walked through the rain were not only recognizing lives already lost. They were also drawing attention to survivors and to the services that can help people who remain at risk.
Organizers described the message behind Remember & Rise in simple terms: honoring those who have died while protecting those who can still be saved.
For more than 100 people who gathered Monday, that message was enough to bring them together despite the weather. What began with a 1.5-mile walk ended with a community standing in one place, remembering the past while focusing on the people who still need support today.