People circled a pavilion at WKFL Park, remembering the Alaskans who died from substance use. Rev. Lisa Talbott, a pastor for Homer United Methodist Church, shared words attendees wished they could have said to their loved ones who died. Many wrote about love, regret, and the desire for more time together.
Around the pavilion, 342 wooden stakes filled the ground, each representing an Alaskan who died from opioid overdoses last year.
Kachemak Bay Recovery Connection organized the vigil. They’re a non-profit that supports recovery from substance use disorder. In addition to Saturday’s vigil, the organization hosted a 5k race as part of International Overdose Awareness Day on Aug. 31. The race was one of more than 600 events held to remember those who have died from overdoses.
The City of Homer also acknowledged recovery efforts. At Monday's city council meeting, Mayor Ken Castner recognized September as Recovery Month.
Jaclyn Rainwater is the president of Kachemak Bay Recovery Connection. She said events like Saturday’s vigil aim to end the stigma surrounding addiction and recovery.
“To be able to take a moment and honor the lives lost, to remember the person for who they were, that they were loved, and they're not just a name, they're not just a statistic, but they were a person who was valued, and so we want to take the time to value them today,” Rainwater said.
Pamela Baltzer attended the vigil and shared how the stigma surrounding addiction often prevents people from seeking help. She lost her 26-year-old daughter to fentanyl poisoning in June.
“It's an epidemic, when people are sad and lonely or they feel like there's so much stigma, it's hard to reach out and be honest with people. They use alone, and then using alone creates the risk of no one being there to save you,” Baltzer said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, opioid overdose deaths decreased slightly in 2023 across the country, Alaska experienced a 27% rise compared to the previous year.
Rainwater said people in the Homer community must know that help is available.
We have things like 12-step meetings and on the central Peninsula, we have detox, we have inpatient rehab, there's outpatient, there's a whole continuum of care. So wherever people are in their journey, there's support and there's help,” Rainwater said.
The event ended with quiet reflection as participants placed their final stakes into the ground. Organizers emphasized that local resources are available for those seeking help.
On the southern Kenai Peninsula, organizations like Kachemak Bay Recovery Connection and Set Free Alaska provide access to counseling, recovery meetings, and harm reduction services. Anyone interested in learning more can visit KBRC's website.
