Letter: An Invitation To Battle Substance Abuse as a Community

Dear Editor,

I am writing with an open invitation asking our New Canaan community to come together for a common cause. This cause may not be the topic of conversation at the club this weekend and it won’t spark the next trendy fashions on Elm Street. But it affects each and every one of us.

As a local resident, business owner and volunteer, I have personally read too many stories of young people leaving us way too soon. I have seen too many adults not be able to function to their fullest potential. And I have seen too many seniors not be able to fully enjoy what should be their golden years.

What do they have in common? These are our friends and neighbors. These are family members near and far. These folks all suffer from some form of substance abuse.

If you have had direct experience dealing with addiction, personally or with family or friend, you know that support from others goes a long way toward defeating it. If you have not, you can simply remember, ‘There, but for the grace of God, go I.”

Addiction is real and it is all around us. It is time for our community to come together and face addiction head-on.

While I did not personally know each of the people our community has lost to substance abuse, I feel for their family’s pain. And I’ve asked myself, “Could we have done something to prevent this from happening?”

My immediate answer is a resounding ‘Yes, we can do something.’

A first step happens on Thursday, Aug. 31st at 7 p.m. in the Pop-Up Park at the corner of South Avenue and Elm Street. Our community will come together to “Help Each Other to Heal” and to engage, listen and honor.

I invite you to invest just 90 minutes of your time on Aug. 31^st. You will be doing

your part to show that our New Canaan community cares about our friends and neighbors.

Thank you in advance,

Leo Karl III