Tonight, August 31 at 8:00 p.m., the Sioux Falls community will gather at the River Greenway beneath the Arc of Dreams to observe International Overdose Awareness Day. The candlelight vigil, organized by Emily’s Hope, Helpline Center, Face It Together, and Midwest Street Medicine, will honor lives lost to overdose, support survivors, and raise awareness about the crisis.
Speakers will include Cameron and Lisa Nielson, who will share their family’s lived experience, Sammi and Stephanie Swier, remembering their cousin Marie Swier Anderson, and Sioux Falls Police Chief Jon Thum. The program will be emceed by Angela Kennecke, founder of Emily’s Hope.
The Arc of Dreams will be illuminated purple, the international color of overdose awareness, as a symbol of remembrance and hope.
📅 Sunday, August 31, 2025
🕗 8:00 p.m. CDT
📍 River Greenway, beneath the Arc of Dreams, Sioux Falls
This free community event is open to the public.
About Emily’s Hope
Emily’s Hope is a nonprofit organization working to eliminate the stigma surrounding substance use disorder and to save lives through evidence-informed education, compassionate support, and financial assistance for recovery. Founded by award-winning journalist Angela Kennecke after the tragic overdose death of her daughter Emily, the organization has become a national voice for prevention and hope. Emily’s Hope offers a K–12 substance use prevention curriculum used across the country, the Grieving Out Loud podcast, and on-the-ground initiatives such as naloxone distribution, a Post-Overdose Response Team, and a Youth Prevention Coalition in South Dakota. The organization also provides treatment scholarships to help individuals access care. Learn more about Emily’s Hope at emilyshope.charity.
For additional media information, please visit emilyshope.charity/media.