HAMLET — An event designed to remember those lost to addiction is moving to a new location this year.
The annual Overdose Awareness Rally, organized by Steve’s Wings for Humanity, is scheduled to take place in the former A&P parking lot across from Hamlet City Hall, starting at 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16.
The event was started several years ago by Steve’s Wings founder Melissa Schoonover, who has lost several family members to addiction and subsequent overdose.
This year’s rally will feature resources for help with addiction, as well as several activities provided by Sandhills Knockerball. Steve’s Wings will be giving out naloxone and Hamlet Fire and Rescue will be giving a CPR demonstration.
Speakers for the event include Jamie Talluto, Scott Manheimer and Tim Lodgen, who have attended the rally before, as well as veteran David Riggins, and Schoonover and her husband, Richard.
There will also be a banner featuring the names and photos of several local residents lost to overdose, as well as a candlelight vigil.
This would be the fifth year for the event — previously held in Rockingham — but it was canceled in 2024 due to the threat of bad weather.
August is recognized as Overdose Awareness Month, with Aug. 31 labeled as International Overdose Awareness Day.
Overdose deaths can be accidental or intentional.
According to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, more than 41,000 state residents died of overdose from 2000-2023. Fatal overdoses peaked in 2023 with a rate of 41 per 100,000, accounting for 4,442 deaths. An estimated eight people per day died from overdose in 2024.
Statistics from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner show there have been 297 confirmed overdose deaths in the state this year, with more suspected.
North and South Carolina had among the top 15 highest overdose death rates in the nation (41.8 and 44.7, respectively) for 2022, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with the highest being West Virginia (80.9), the District of Columbia (64.3) and Tennessee (56).
The three N.C. counties with the highest rates of emergency department visits for overdose involving medications or drugs with dependency potential are Scotland (334.6), Richmond (276.4) and Robeson (198.5), respectively. The statewide average rate is 104.8. The time period is the year from July 2024-June 2025.
Richmond County leads the state with opioid-related overdose ED visit rate of 153.6, followed by Scotland with a rate of 148.3. The state’s rate is 53. More than 50% of those are from fentanyl and “unspecified narcotics.” That time period is April 2024-May 2025.
(NOTE: Rates are per 100,000. Data is considered provisional.)
NPR reported in June 2024 that drug cartels and gangs were starting to mix the animal tranquilizer medetomidine into drugs being sold on the street.
According to the latest report from the OCME, released in July, Richmond again had the state’s highest fentanyl-involved death rate at 46.8, with 20 fentanyl-involved deaths from April 2024-March 2025 — nearly three times the state average rate of 16.3
That number has dropped significantly since 2022, when the county’s rate was 76.7.
Last week, the Richmond County Board of Commissioners approved more than $600,000 in funding from the opioid settlement, including for recovery efforts and the creation of a drug court.
The second annual Walk for Sobriety is planned for noon-4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20 at the same location. Cost to participate in the walk is $10 for general admission and $5 for those in recovery.
Schoonover said that event is a day for former addicts to celebrate recovery.
There will be a backdrop for photos and several raffles based on recovery times.
The group is seeking volunteers to help with these and other activities.
For more information or to volunteer, contact Schoonover at 910-417-8740 or via Steve’s Wings for Humanity on Facebook.
