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FRAMINGHAM – Today, August 31 is International Opioid Overdose Awareness Day.

Framingham FORCE held a small ceremony tonight, August 31.

The ceremony was held on the Framingham Centre Common, where almost 2,300 purple flags mark the deaths from opioids in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts last year.

Framingham FORCE’s mission is “to be a FORCE in the Framingham Community to combat our opioid epidemic through compassion, education, and advocacy.”

FORCE’s founder Cathy Miles spoke during the ceremony, as did a few others.

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It was attended by a couple of dozen people including, Mayor Charlie Sisitsky and State Rep. Jack Patrick Lewis.

City Council Chair Phil Ottaviani Jr. at-large City Councilor George P. King Jr. and District 4 City Councilor Michael Cannon also attended.

FORCE’s vision is  to have a “community free of stigma and opioid use disorder, where all those who need help will seek and receive compassionate care.”

SOURCE will have a full report with more photos later.

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Pictured are FORCE board members David Miles, Kathy O’Leary, George P. King Jr. and Founder Cathy Miles.

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By editor

Susan Petroni is the former editor for SOURCE. She is the founder of the former news site, which as of May 1, 2023, is now a self-publishing community bulletin board. The website no longer has a journalist but a webmaster.