Press release:
A panel featuring William J. Hochul Jr., United States Attorney for the Western District of New York, who oversees the prosecution of federal criminal cases in our region, and Deanna Axe, the mother of a heroin overdose victim who founded Addicted to Hope, will be held from 1:30 to approximately 3 p.m. at Batavia High School on Monday, Feb. 29.
They will be joined by representatives from local law enforcement, the medical profession, and treatment/prevention education to address the significant and dire consequences of prescription drug abuse and heroin addiction that is impacting our community.
Sponsored by Act Genesee, a growing coalition of community volunteers whose mission is to promote healthy and safe choices through education and action, the forum is titled, “Pay Attention: Addressing Prescription Drug Abuse and Heroin Addiction in our Community.”
In addition to presentations by Hochul and Axe, attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions of the panel members, fill out a brief survey to help the Coalition determine the best course of action for following up on this presentation, and meet other like-minded individuals who share a concern about promoting a healthy and substance-free lifestyle for individuals and families in our community.
Coalition President Anita Strollo urges all to attend and says, “We really want to raise awareness. This is a problem that is happening. It’s here. And it is serious and devastating.” She encourages involvement from all ages, noting that, with abuse and addiction crossing all age and socio-economic groupings, so should be the awareness of and attack on these growing problems.
