84 Pinwheels To Recognize Drug Overdose Deaths In Chester County

WEST CHESTER, PA — Chester County will recognize and honor the 84 lives lost to drug overdoses in 2023 with a special display of pinwheels.

The display of 84 pinwheels, which will come shortly before International Overdose Awareness Day, will be lit up on Aug. 28 in front of the Chester County Justice Center on Market Street in West Chester.

"Night of Light is a special event that brings us all together to advocate for a future free from substance-related tragedies,” Jamie Johnson, executive director of the Chester County Department of Drug and Alcohol Services said in a statement. "It is here that we will remember the lives lost to substance use disorders and bring hope to those working towards long-term recovery."

Officials hope the event reduces stigma around overdoses, remembers the lives lost and the ongoing grief, and to raise awareness about an important issue.

The wheels will be on display until Sept. 3. A similar exhibit will be in place at the Government Services Center on Westtown Road.

A special “Night of Light” event will be held on Aug. 28 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the steps of the Historic Courthouse in West Chester. It will feature numerous drug resource tables, several keynote speakers, and a luminary ceremony for the lives lost.

The 84 number is down from 111 lives lost due to overdoses in the county in 2022.