WATERTOWN, S.D. – Emily’s Hope will host the Emily’s Pledge: A Fentanyl Awareness Assembly on Tuesday, October 20, at 1:30 PM at the Watertown Civic Arena. The assembly will bring together students from area high schools and community members to learn about the dangers of fentanyl, recognize the risks of counterfeit pills, and make informed decisions.
Emily’s Pledge is a statewide fentanyl awareness campaign launched by Emily’s Hope through the Beyond Idea Grant from the South Dakota Community Foundation. The campaign aims to educate students, parents, and educators about the dangers of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and provide tools to help prevent overdose deaths.
While overdose deaths have decreased nationally over the last year, South Dakota was one of the few states that saw an increase, with fentanyl responsible for the majority of those deaths. Many young people encounter drugs without realizing how lethal fentanyl is, especially when it is hidden in counterfeit pills that look like prescription medications.
The Watertown assembly will feature three speakers who will share their personal experiences, knowledge, and resources to raise awareness and encourage informed decision-making.
- Angela Kennecke, founder of Emily’s Hope, will share her story of losing her daughter, Emily, to fentanyl poisoning. Angela founded Emily’s Hope in 2019 to help prevent other families from experiencing similar loss through prevention, education, and awareness.
- Amanda Frazier, Community Outreach Specialist from the Omaha Division of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), will discuss her work with the DEA and current drug trends.
- Dr. Melanie Weiss, owner of Weiss Eyecare Clinic and Vision of Hope, will share her own personal story of opioid addiction and recovery.
Through Emily’s Pledge, Emily’s Hope is working to ensure students and families understand the risks of fentanyl and have the information they need to make safer decisions. By bringing these conversations into schools and communities across South Dakota, the campaign aims to educate our youth and prevent overdose deaths.
To learn more about Emily’s Pledge, visit emilyspledge.org.
About Emily’s Hope
Emily’s Hope is a nonprofit working to eliminate the stigma surrounding substance use disorder and save lives through evidence-informed education, compassionate support, and financial assistance for recovery. Founded by award-winning journalist Angela Kennecke after the overdose death of her daughter Emily, the organization offers a K-12 prevention curriculum used nationwide, the Grieving Out Loud podcast, naloxone distribution, a Post-Overdose Response Team, and treatment scholarships. Learn more at emilyshope.charity.
For additional media information, please visit emilyshope.charity/media.