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Date: 4/25/2023
BELCHERTOWN — Belchertown Overcoming Adversity Together will be partnering with Belchertown Drug-Free Communities to host its second annual Umbrella of Wellness Fair on Thursday, May 4, on the Belchertown Common from 5-8 p.m.
The event will take place in the Chestnut Hill Community School if it rains.
Belchertown Director of Drug-Free Communities Kris Hoag said, “It has already quadrupled in size from last year. We had about 18 nonprofit organizations setting up tables but now we have 55 or 56.”
The fair will feature over 50 resource tables offering information, food trucks, kids activities, raffles and more.
The fair is also completely free and when you arrive, you can register at the table by the entrance to receive a $10 voucher any of the five food trucks.
Hoag said that from 5-6:30 p.m. people are invited to walk around to the tables and activities and then this year’s guest speaker Chris Herren will begin at 6:30 p.m.
Herren is a former Boston Celtics basketball player who has been in recovery since August 2008. He has shared his story with over one million students and community members with the goal of making a positive difference in the lives of others.
He discusses the topics of substance use disorder and wellness with a focus on prevention education and rethinking how we look at the disease of addiction.
Hoag added, “Our goal of the fair is to augment health and wellness through education, empowerment and engagement. That is our whole mission.”
According to Hoag, the goal of the fair is to cover the four parts of the umbrella which is prevention, treatment and recovery, health and wellness and mental health.
The Hidden in Plain Sight trailer will also be at the event.
Hoag explained that the trailer aims to educate parents and children about the dangers of substance abuse by setting up a mock bedroom to teach parents where to look for potentially hidden drugs and alcohol.
“Parents and caregivers can go through the mock bedroom, it’s hidden in plain sight, to see if there are any signs of anything of drug or alcohol use or any other mental health issues that are going on with your children. It is designed to say to look through your kids stuff, its designed for parents of what be happening if they see something out of place,” Hoag added.
The trailer is presented by the Alex Fisher Foundation, a foundation created by Kelly Fisher who lost her son Alex who died after from taking an OxyContin pill laced with fentanyl.
The Springfield Thunderbirds mascot Boomer will also be in attendance for a meet and greet.
Hoag said, “We want to make it community wide friendly, not just for adults and parents and teens but children as well.”
The Police Department and its K-9 unit will be in attendance along with the Belchertown public nurse who will be offering Narcan training.
Hoag thinks the event will only continue to get bigger.
She said, “It’s a collaboration of community wide help. It has quadrupled this year and next year it is going to end up turning into an all day event. I already know that. It has gotten so big.”
Hoag added that the event is also the keep the youth safe.
According to Hoag, 70% of kids who start to drink or use drugs before the age of 13 will develop a substance use disorder. It goes down to 37% by 18 years old.
“If they prolong it longer it keeps going down as they get older because their prefrontal lobe is the last place in your brain to develop which is your decision making processes. The longer you put off experimenting with those things, the better you are as far as substance use disorder is concerned.” Hoag added.
Last year’s event saw around 200 people, but Hoag thinks including all the vendors, she expects this year’s event to see a minimum of 300 people.
“We hope to see as many people as possible enjoy this great informative event,” Hoag said.