WESTFIELD—The Westfield Drug Task Force is seeking new locations for its Wall of Healing and Hope.
The wall, which is used to bring awareness to drug addiction and its victims, has been seen in several local places and will continue to be around the city for the foreseeable future. However, the wall needs new places to be put after their newest location and Kathy Sitler, the director of the task force, is looking for people to give the wall a new temporary home.
A picture of the Wall of Healing and Hope, provided by Kathy Sitler.
“The wall was actually created in an effort to give people a tangible place where they can come and grieve or reflect, to pay tribute to a loved one who has passed away due to addiction, but also it was created to give people a message of hope,” Sitler said.
“It’s designed to continue to bring awareness to the opiate problem, to bring awareness to use and abuse,” she said.
The wall, which was created by Andy Weeks and Peter Fiordalice, both of Westfield, made its debut during the candlelight vigil last August in Park Square, in honor of International Overdose Awareness Day. The wall was also one of the first public displays the task force did after it was commissioned by Mayor Brian Sullivan in February 2016.
Since then, it has found its way to Westfield High School in November during former NBA player Chris Herren’s presentation to the school, as well as to Westfield Technical Academy for a separate presentation on addiction awareness. From there, it was stationed on the first floor of city hall, displayed prominently in the hall.
On the wall are messages from those who lost someone due to addiction, as well as poetry, photography of those who died due to addiction and messages of hope.
Sitler said that she hopes the community will reach out to help her and the rest of the Westfield Drug Task Force by requesting the wall be erected near them.
“We’re hoping that people would ask, to have it at different businesses or churches or schools, wherever people would want it to go, to ask to have it where they are,” Sitler said.
Sitler asks the community not just because she wants awareness to be spread about drug addiction, but also because she feels that she can trust the community to assist.
“It’s actually at times overwhelming to me to see how many people’s lives have been touched by addiction,” Sitler said. “It gives me hope to think that this is really a community that’s trying to continue to keep this issue in the spotlight so that awareness can continue to be raised.”
If you are interested in putting the wall in or near your business, church, educational building or anywhere else you feel it could help to gain awareness, then email [email protected] and request more information.
