Moms Stop The Harm has again placed a memorial tree in Town Centre mall to create awareness about the losses from substance use.
Darlana Treloar said that when she lost her son Sean to fentanyl poisoning here in Powell River in 2016, she joined with Moms Stop The Harm.
“I started advocating here in order to raise awareness to overdose and to help get rid of the stigma and shame people and their families feel,” said Treloar. “My family friend Shirley Gentner suggested I do a Christmas tree and this is what I came up with.
“I chose a white tree because it’s heavenly, and silver and purple decorations for the colours of overdose, and the ornaments featuring the faces of our loved ones. This tree not only helps to raise awareness, it helps us in our grief at Christmastime to honour our loved ones’ memories.”
Treloar said the tree was received by other Moms Stop The Harm members with love.
“I am pleased, and my heart is deeply touched, that now other members are doing trees in their communities; there is a forest of white trees popping up all over Canada,” she added. “This is a very special tree and it’s the Moms Stop The Harm memorial tree here in Powell River. If you have lost someone to the harms of substance use, please place an ornament in memory on our tree.
“It is for anyone lost to overdose, drug poisoning, suicide and violence related to substance use.”
Treloar said all of the supplies to make ornaments are under the tree in purple boxes. She said for making an ornament, a wallet-sized photograph works best. The tree is located at the Save-On Foods end of the mall, outside Shoppers Drug Mart. Treloar also suggested checking out Moms Stop The Harm on Facebook, and the website.
“It is full of helpful information and resources,” said Treloar. “Please feel free to reach out. We are here for you.”
Treloar said in British Columbia, five people per day are dying due to overdose, adding that it is an astonishing and distressing figure.
Rob Fitzpatrick, a member of Moms Stop The Harm and manager of Powell River Miklat Recovery House Society, said efforts were being made to raise awareness here in Powell River in order to try and save lives from the overdose crisis. He said right now the recovery society is operating at full capacity and doing really well.
“We’re grateful to be part of this community and we look forward to helping to save lives,” said Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick has been affected by the overdose crisis, having lost his girlfriend in 2015 to a fentanyl overdose.
“This means a lot to me and I joined Moms Stop The Harm to try and help with some of the stigma and just to advocate for safe supply,” said Fitzpatrick.
Lyn Nicol, also with Moms Stop The Harm, said she lost her brother and her sister to overdose.
“I just want to be part of the overdose action plan to move on from this, to create awareness and to help addicts with education and to move onto the next phase,” said Nicol.
Kyle, a client at Miklat recovery house, said they are helping him turn his life around. He said the program has been an enriching experience for him.
“I’m learning a lot about myself,” said Kyle.
Powell River’s Moms Stop The Harm put up its first memorial tree in 2018.
