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Date: 8/17/2022
MONSON – To remember those taken by addiction, the “Lights of Hope” event will return to Monson on Sept. 18.
During the Monson Select Board meeting on Aug. 9, Pamela West, a resident in town, said, “It’s been a tough week in Monson. We’ve had three overdoses [these] past couple days. Addiction is touching everyone more and more in this community.”
For five years, West has hosted a family-friendly addiction resource respite and remembrance fair in Monson. She shared that in her first year, she had eight people; the second year, 31 people; and last year, over 200 people. This year, she anticipates an even larger crowd.
West explained that the fair is a “local resource” with vendors, free food, respite for families, guest speakers and more.
The event goes from 3 to 5:30 p.m. and then guest speakers will join the event from 5:30 until 7 p.m. This year’s speaker is Jack Perry.
She added that they have Sheriff Nick Cocchi and Ludlow’s “pre-release,” which is three inmates that have convictions associated with addiction. As they are on the verge of being released, they come to talk with attendees.
West said she will be going before the Parks Department to use Veterans Field again. She predicts that the expenses will not be as much as previous years, as they will have access to bathrooms so porta-potty’s will not be needed. West noted that she has been able to trim some of the expenses from last year.
To assist in the funding, she made a Gifts to the Town request in the amount of $4,000. West also asked that the board grant her a portion of the opiate settlement that the town received from the attorney general’s settlement with Johnson & Johnson and the distributors of the opiates. She said the town received a “substantial” amount from this settlement in July.
“I think it would be a really good spending of [those] funds because this is exactly what it’s for. It’s for reaching people in the community with resources for these addiction problems,” added West.
She noted that it’s not just addiction with opioids but includes alcohol as well as mental health and more.
West went on to say that the “Lights of Hope” event was started by a mother about 10 years ago, through a Facebook forum called “The Addict’s Mom.” West is one of the now over 100,000 members in the group.
Every year, the event takes place across the country, always on the same weekend.
“I know that we can’t all agree on everything, but I think one thing we can agree on is if we can save one life from this event, then it’s money well spent by the town,” concluded West.
Jennifer Wolowicz, town administrator, said they have not received the funds from the opioid settlement for fiscal year 2022 (FY22). Once they do receive the funding, she said they will have to have an appropriation at Town Meeting to decide on how it will be used. “In the fall, we can appropriate money[s] for something that was in FY23, so in this case, the Lights of Hope is in September,” she added.
Nonetheless, Wolowicz said they could grant money from the Gifts to the Town Account.
Pat Oney, Select Board chair, made a motion to give $4,000 from the Gifts to the Town Account for the “Lights of Hope” event. The board unanimously approved the request.
Toll Road Request
The Lions Club came before the board and asked for permission to host a fundraiser in the form of a toll road – like a toll booth – in front of the Senior Center on Sept. 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Curt Jameson, Lions Club member, said he has been involved in several toll road fundraisers for other Lions Clubs across the state. He provided the board with a diagram of what they are looking to do.
He explained that they want to go between two crosswalks on Main Street. They will have posts in front of them to show what they’re doing, along with a note to thank everyone at the end.
On each side of the road, there are seven parking spaces, of which he would like to place “no parking” signs, along with cones in the middle of the road. “If people don’t want to stop at the toll road, they will have plenty of space to safely go around us and not really impede on traffic,” said Jameson.
He added that cars only stop for about one minute – to make a donation and receive a business card from the Lions Club.
Jameson shared that a portion of the money will go through the Lions Club District 33 Sight and Hearing Fund.
The board unanimously approved the toll road request.