OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen
The Brocton Arch lights are shining purple throughout the final week of August in honor of International Overdose Awareness Day today.
BROCTON — The month of August concludes with International Overdose Awareness Day, a day to remember the lives lost and families impacted by drug overdose. The Village of Brocton has done its part to raise awareness leading up to the end of the month.
The historic Brocton Arch lights shine purple throughout the final week of August to symbolize overdose awareness.
Mayor Craig Miller brought the idea to Village Clerk Scott Jagoda, who now operates the lights on the Brocton Arches from the Village Hall. In years past, the lights were changed manually by the Village’s Electrical Department, led by Joe Majkowski.
The Brocton Arch lights change periodically throughout the year, often with colors to represent holidays or other causes. The Village is open to suggestions to change the color of the lights for other notable causes.
As noted in an OBSERVER article in March, approximately 60 people died in 2023 due to drug overdoses in Chautauqua County, the highest figure in history, according to Dr. Michael Faulk, Chautauqua County Chief Medical Officer.
For more information surrounding drug addiction in Chautauqua County and the resources available countywide, visit combataddictionchq.com.