STATESVILLE, N.C. (WHKY) — Iredell County residents will gather Thursday to remember people lost to overdose and support their families, friends and others affected by substance use.

A community meal begins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, August 27, at Christ Church, 2172 Wilkesboro Road in Statesville. A candlelight vigil will follow.

Attendees are invited to bring a photograph or share a memory of a loved one lost to overdose. Information about local prevention, treatment and recovery support services will also be available.

The event is being held in connection with International Overdose Awareness Day. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the observance, with the theme “25 Years On. Still Needed.”

The Drug-Alcohol Coalition of Iredell, Christ Church, ICGH, PQA and Foundation of Hope Ministries are hosting the remembrance and awareness event.

According to the latest North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services data cited by organizers, 26 overdose deaths occurred among Iredell County residents in 2024. The county’s overdose death rate declined 32 percent between 2020 and 2024.