Valley church holds event to honor lives lost to drug overdose

VALLEY, Ala. (WTVM) - A church in east Alabama hosted a community memorial event Sunday afternoon to honor the lives lost to drug overdose.

Redeeming Grace Ministries in Valley held a “Black Balloon Day” event.

Every year on March 6, people across the United States remember the lives of those who died from a drug overdose.

Founder of Redeeming Grace Ministries Lara Potts says the reembrace was started by a mother and daughter who lost their husband and father to a drug overdose.

She says 900 people in Alabama died from an overdose last year.

“1 in 14 people have a substance abuse disorder,” Potts said. “So, if you look at your circle, chances are, there’s somebody in your circle that has a substance abuse disorder or someone in your family.”

This was the church’s first year holding the event in-person. Last year, they held the event virtually.

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