Andover Cares Music Festival 2016
July 26, 2016
 
      The Rotary Club of Andover’s Andover Cares Festival returns for a second year Saturday, September 17, 2016, 3:00pm to 9:00pm, at the Doherty Fields and Cormier Youth Center, Whittier Court, Andover.  Entertainment includes local musical talent Rust Never Sleeps (Neil Young cover band), Carissa Johnson, young musicians from the Real School of Music, and a variety of other acts.  The Festival will also feature talks and discussion forums by experts in the opiate addiction field. Plus there will be lots of entertainment for the kids and plenty of food and beverages to make the festival a day for the entire family. One way Andover Cares raises funds is through donations of $20 toward an Andover Cares button. Kids under the age of 18 can contribute $10 for a button. By purchasing a button and wearing it throughout the year, supporters will spread the word about Andover Cares. Buttons can be purchased in advance at AndoverCaresFestival.EventBrite.com.
 
      The Andover Cares Music Festival raises awareness about the opioid addiction crisis facing our communities, while raising funds to support the Andover Cares Fund. The Andover Cares Fund supports opioid addiction education efforts and services.
 
      Andover Cares Music Festival sponsorship opportunities are available. Contact Andover Rotarian Amy Salant at amysalant@fitnesstogether.com for more information on becoming a community leader in the fight against substance abuse addiction.
 
      Andover Rotary launched the Andover Cares movement in 2015 as a response to the record-breaking number of heroin-related deaths and incidents that hit the Andover community in 2014 and 2015. Andover Cares was inspired by several members of the Rotary Club of Andover who have been touched by the heroin epidemic. Andover Cares leaders understand that the issue is complex and that there is no single answer that will solve the problem. The Rotary Club of Andover is committed to those who work on the front lines – our educators, law enforcement, and health professionals – which is why the club created the Andover Cares Fund. The Fund awards money to organizations that can make a difference in the fight against substance abuse and addiction.
 
      Andover Cares grant applications are accepted on a rolling basis for any amount $500 to $10,000. Applications can be downloaded on the Rotary Club of Andover website, www.RotaryAndover.org, or the soon to be released www.AndoverCares.org. In the first year, Andover Rotary and Andover Cares raised $60,000. The goal this year is to raise $75,000 to support opiate and addiction education and resources. Donations can be made on the EventBrite website, or by sending a check payable to Andover Cares Fund to The Rotary Club of Andover, PO Box 1152, Andover, MA 01810.
 
      For further information, email AndoverCaresInfo@gmail.com. To learn more about how the Town of Andover is responding to the opiate crisis go to www.andoverps.net/police/whats_new.html.
 

 
A New Way to Show Support for Andover Cares
March 25, 2016

The Rotary Club of Andover's Andover Cares event and movement that started in the fall of 2015 inspired local resident and jewelery designer Aileen Peters to create an Andover Cares bracelet. Proceeds from bracelet sales support the Andover Cares Fund, which supports educational efforts to address the opioid epidemic facing our community. Each bracelet sells for $25 and $10 of every sale goes to the Andover Cares Fund. Bracelets can be purchased at Helen Thomas Simply Smashing! at 90 Main Street. Bracelets come in both polished and matte finish. Each has a small muslin bag and a card, which includes information about Andover Cares, the meaning of the bracelet design, and a list of community resources for substance abuse support.
 
Bracelets feature the Morse Code symbols for S.O.K. for Save Our Kids. “A bit of artistic license was used in creating these bracelets,” wrote Aileen on the card that accompanies each bracelet, “Traditional Morse Code is in two planes: dashes up ad dots down. In this representation of S.O.K., the letters are started on the same plane. The 'K' now shows a long dot, lingering below. This interpretation symbolizes our communities' need to support those on the outskirts, isolated, left behind, or needing help. It symbolizes our goal as a village to care for every member, to have the courage to tell someone is a friend is in need (be your 'brother's keeper') or to ask for help yourself. It also symbolized how easy it is to be on the right path, and suddenly drop off, to make a misstep.”
 
Aileen Peters was honored at the 2013 Andover Rotary Citizen Who Cares event for her volunteer work in the Andover-Lawrence community. Her Andover Cares bracelet is another way give back to the community. Her work can be found on her Facebook page, Aileen Peters Handcrafted Jewelry.
 
Andover Cares and the Andover Cares Fund were established in fall 2015, inspired by several members of the Rotary Club of Andover who lives have been touched by the heroin epidemic plaguing our community, our state, and our nation. "We have club members whose families have been personally impacted," said Rotary Club President Don Gottfried, "As we polled the community, it was remarkable how many stories we heard of loved ones who had been overcome by addiction."
 
The Andover Cares Fund was established to provide money, in the form of grants, to individuals or organizations. Grants may be used for any purpose which will help address the opiate addiction epidemic, including education, prevention, and treatment. Grant requests are considered on a rolling basis. For information and grant application visit rotaryandover.org and the Andover Cares page.
 

 
State Police warn about unusually deadly brand of heroin
By Nicole Fleming Globe Correspondent  January 02, 2016
 
The Massachusetts State Police have issued a warning about an especially lethal batch of heroin being sold under the name “Hollywood,” that is believed to have caused eight fatal overdoses in the last week in Chicopee and Holyoke.
 
“For reasons still to be determined, the heroin being sold under that stamp has proven exceptionally deadly in recent days,” David Procopio, a state police spokesman, said in a statement released early Saturday evening.
 
Three of the eight victims died on New Year’s Day, he said.
 
State Police detectives assigned to the Hampden County District Attorney’s office, and local police in Chicopee and Holyoke, are investigating the source of the drug, according to the statement.
 
State Police are compiling data on the overdoses to help other law enforcement agencies. “We urge anyone using heroin or any illicit drug to seek medical help/counseling,” Procopio said in the statement.
 
The Massachusetts Substance Abuse Information and Education Helpline, staffed 7 days a week, provides free confidential support for alcohol and other drug abuse problems. The toll-free number is 1-800-327-5050. For those using the TTY device for hearing assistance, call 1-888-448-8321. For more information, visit www.helpline-online.com.
 

 
Karma Restaurant event to support Andover Cares
 
Thanks so much to Karma Restaurant for their generous $9,100 donation to the "Andover Cares" Fund!
 
Iverson Guo, Karma Restaurant, came to the Andover Board of Selectmen to present the Rotary Club of Andover with this generous donation to support the fight against opiate addiction in our town. Karma Restaurant, in Shawsheen Plaza, hosted a sold out fundraiser featuring New England Patriot’s players Rob Ninkovich, Nate Ebner, Ryan Allen and Doinique Easley.  The fundraiser featured a silent auction, food, and fan photos with the players.
 
This is a shining example of the town along with a service club, a local business and hundreds of our citizens coming together for a very worthy cause. The Andover Cares fund will be used to support ongoing education and prevention efforts by community groups in the fight against Opiate addiction.
 
 
Photo left to right:  Paul Salafia, Andover Selectman and Rotarian, Iverson Guo, owner Karma Restaurant and Don Gottfried, President of Andover Rotary. 

 
Lawrence Eagle Tribune article, December 1, 2015
 
Patriots Help Combat Herion Crisis
By Gabriella Cruz gcruz@eagletribune.com
 
On the field, the New England Patriots spend the majority of their time pushing back against the opposing team. Off the field, some players are pushing back against the growing heroin epidemic that has plagued communities across the state.
 
Velvet ropes surrounded the red carpet outside Karma Restaurant in Andover Monday evening as community members gathered to support a local cause and meet members of the Patriots team.
Four Patriots players joined nearly 100 community members for a fundraising event at Karma Restaurant on North Main Street in Andover Monday night.  All of the proceeds from "An Evening with the New England Patriots" will benefit the Rotary Club of Andover's Andover Cares initiative, which works to combat the heroin crisis.
 
Defensive linemen Dominique Easley and Rob Ninkovich, safety Nate Ebner and punter Ryan Allen were excited not only for the sushi they'd heard so much about, but also for the impact the event would have on the community.
 
"We were kind of surprised at how much energy there is and how electric the whole event has been so far," Ebner said. "It's pretty awesome to come and support this event. I'm excited to do anything I can to help and to have some good sushi while we're at it."
 
Ninkovich seconded Ebner's enthusiasm about helping the community, as well as the opportunity to try Karma's food.
 
"I'm just happy to be here for the community and show my face and just do what I can," Ninkovich said. "I think this is an awesome event, and I'm excited to eat here. I've heard they've got some awesome stuff."
 
Iverson Guo, owner of Karma, was especially grateful to the community and the Patriots for coming together to support the initiative's efforts to fight the heroin epidemic that has hit not just Andover, but the entire state.
 
"Helping solve the ongoing heroin crisis that is sweeping this community is extremely important," Guo said. "I am especially thankful to all of our town leaders for bringing Karma into this great Andover community and allowing us to give back to the community, which is something we hope to continue to do through events like this."
 
Although the initial excitement for the event was garnered by the football players' appearances, the event's purpose is what resonated most with town leaders and the players themselves.
 
"I really appreciate the community effort to address this problem in Andover," Town Manager Andrew Flanagan said. "There are so many components to how we as a town can combat this issue and fundraising is definitely an important step toward our goals."
 
Guo and the Patriots have a relationship that Guo said goes back further than just Monday's event. Before he founded Karma, Guo was a sushi chef at a restaurant in Franklin where Patriots players often ate. When he decided to follow his dream of owning his own restaurant, Guo said the team helped him get started in more ways than one.
 
"Very few realize that there is an amazing connection that Karma has with the Patriots team," Guo said. "It was the Patriots that helped me choose the name 'Karma,' and over the years, I worked many events for various Patriots players. This event, however, is closest to my heart."
 
Tickets to the event sold for $100 each and included a full dinner buffet, drinks, a gift bag and meet-and-greets with the players. Signed Patriots memorabilia was up for silent auction throughout the event and included helmets, footballs, jerseys and photographs.
 
The Andover Cares Fund will award grants to programs that support Andover’s three-tiered solution to opiate addiction — education, treatment and enforcement. Guo said that proceeds from Monday's event will also go toward a scholarship fund for Andover students.
 
While the players were focused on supporting the Andover community off the field, Ninkovich said he and the team will be working toward another winning season back on the field.
 
"We're coming back from a tough loss," Ninkovich said. "So we've just got to watch the tape, learn our lesson, move on, and continue to push on through the season and look forward."
 

 

 
Memorial Hall Library

Opioid Addiction Panel Discussion Online

The September 29th opioid addiction panel discussion is now online
Find additional resources and the 
slides from the panel discussion at http://www.mhl.org/addiction

 


 
 
For Immediate Release: September 28, 2015    
Contact:        Don Gottfried, President, Rotary Club of Andover, 617-699-3585; dgottfried@verizon.net
     
The Heroin Crisis: Andover Cares Festival to Raise Funds
 
ANDOVER, MA – The Rotary Club of Andover is taking a leadership role to address the opioid crisis plaguing our community by raising awareness and funds. The first of many fundraising efforts will be the Andover Cares Festival in the Park, Saturday, October 17, 2015, 3:00p.m. to 8:00p.m. The Andover Cares Festival in the Park is open to the public and features live music, family activities and an addiction resource area. Reserved seating can be purchased for $100 online at www.andovercaresfestival.eventbrite.com.
 
Bringing the festival message of Not One More to the forefront will be a handful of speakers who provide support and inspiration to those affected by this opioid crisis, sharing the stage with headliners The Jon Butcher Axis, Hayley Jane and the Primates and local musician Casey McQuillen. Grammy-nominated Jon Butcher began influencing the Boston music scene back in the 80's with MTV videos and hit songs “Life Takes A Life,” “Holy War,” and “Wishes.”  Butcher's is a music career that spans four decades and continues today with his production company, Electric Factory Music, that scores music for television series for the likes of HBO, Showtime and ABC. Hayley Jane and the Primates' diverse sound combines clever lyrics and skilled musicianship for live performances that has created a serious buzz in the Northeast and beyond.  A special guest appearance from our locally grown American Idol contestant, Casey McQuillen, brings her beautiful voice and her important "You Matter" message.
 
Andover Cares was inspired by several Andover Rotarian members who have been touched by the heroin epidemic. “We have club members whose families have been personally impacted. As we polled the community, it was remarkable how many stories we heard of loved ones who had been overcome by addiction,” said Rotary Club President Don Gottfried. “Parents of school-aged children express fear and anxiety over how to protect their own children. I was both shocked and scared when a worker told my wife about all the drug paraphernalia they’ve been finding in the park, right next to a middle school. As Rotary members, we decided to be part of the solution rather than on the sidelines of a very challenging problem. We are eager to tackle this head on.”
 
Festival sponsorship opportunities are available. To date, nearly $20,000 has been raised from Andover businesses and individuals at a variety of sponsor levels and benefits. Sponsorship packets are available at Century Bank, 15 Elm Street in Andover. All profits go the Andover Cares Fund, which will support intervention and education initiatives within Andover's three-tiered approach to the  addiction crisis: education, intervention and enforcement.
 
Another fundraising effort The Rotary Club of Andover has launched is the sale of “The Heroin Crisis: Andover Cares” buttons for $20.  To encourage youth participation and awareness, students may purchase buttons for $10 each. Andover Cares buttons went on sale during Andover Day on Saturday, September 12, where the Interact Club of Andover High School helped the cause by raising over $1,600.Both festival tickets and buttons can be purchased from Rotary Club members and online through andovercaresfestival.eventbrite.com. For further information, visit the Rotary Club website at www.rotaryandover.org. Email andovercaresinfo@gmail.com with questions or to get involved in this town-wide event.
###
 
The Rotary Club of Andover is a service organization "where doing good is serious fun."  Area business and community leaders from the Merrimack Valley come together to contribute to our local and international communities through a variety of rewarding civic projects. Meetings are held Fridays at 7:30a.m. at the Lanam Club, 260 N. Main Street in Andover, MA.
 
The Rotary Club of Andover, P.O Box 1152, Andover, Massachusetts 01810
 

 
 
Email sent to Andover Cares, September 26, 2015
 
Dear Sir or Madame,
 I am writing to let you know about a “Prayer for Andover” event happening on Saturday October 3rd at 8 am in Andover’s Central Park. We are inviting people from all Andover churches to come and seek God together for the challenges facing our children, particularly in the light of the current opioid epidemic. Could you please help get the word out by sharing this information with your Rotary Club members. Here is a sample announcement for your reference:

Join us for a joint church prayer gathering at the bandstand in Andover's central park from 8-9 am on Saturday, October 3. Come and pray for Andover's schools, our children, their teachers, and the challenges they face, and their protection from drugs and other dangers. 
 
We hope that you can join us on October 3 in praying for Andover. 
 
Thank you and may God greatly bless you.
 
Sincerely, 
Audra Hebert 
On behalf of Prayer for Andover

 
Update from Andover Police Department
 

andover-patch

ANDOVER POLICE DEPARTMENT
Chief Patrick Keefe
32 North Main St.
Andover, MA 01810

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 
617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Contact: Jessica Sacco
Phone: 
978-769-5193
Email: jessica@jgpr.net

Andover Police Implement New Addiction Protocols

Police Department to Hire Two Full-Time Staffers: Substance Abuse Clinician and Community Awareness, Education and Outreach Coordinator 

Department Partners with P.A.A.R.I.

ANDOVER —  Chief Patrick Keefe reports that the Andover Police Department is taking steps to combat opioid addiction in the community by hiring two full-time people to provide assistance, resources and help to residents in need.

The additional staff, which will work directly with Chief Keefe, are part of the police department’s overall mission to alter they way addiction is handled in town.

“We know that residents are struggling with the disease of addiction and we are committed to removing the demand in Andover by getting residents the assistance they need to recover,” Chief Keefe said. “Our goal is to save lives and educate the community about resources and available opportunities for treatment.”

Andover Police will partner with the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I.) to help addicts by offering information and advice at no cost and by assisting those seeking treatment and recovery services, through its growing network of providers.

The Police Department is also working with Andover Youth Services and the Town’s Department of Public Health, which will hold a public overdose training in conjunction with the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center. Community members are encouraged to attend the free event at the Andover Police Station on Aug. 26 from 6-8 p.m. (Click here for the event’s flyer.)

Program Coordinator for Community Awareness, Education and Outreach

The program coordinator will develop, collaborate and implement programs for substance abuse prevention, addiction awareness and wellness and prevention for residents, businesses and families. The coordinator will:

  • Provide counseling services to individuals and families impacted by addiction, substance abuse and related mental health issues and make appropriate referrals to available programs and resources.
  • Facilitate meetings, programs and functions within the community and work with officials to maintain current policies and procedures to ensure the community is receiving current information.
  • Coordinate with town officials, the school department, businesses, families and individuals to implement programs.

Substance Abuse Clinician

Andover’s clinician will assist the program coordinator with promoting community awareness surrounding addiction, substance abuse and mental health issues, and will work to deliver educational and outreach information. Main areas of focus will include:

  • Helping residents access appropriate medical intervention services, including the inpatient/outpatient process, interventions, rehabilitation and recovery issues and the integration of addicts back into the community.
  • Offering counseling services to individuals and families impacted by addiction, substance abuse and related mental health issues.
  • Providing information, outreach and support to families and individuals so they may access referrals and programs and develop an understanding of the support needed to successfully address addiction issues.

Andover’s initiative is modeled after The Arlington Outreach Initiative, created by Arlington Police Chief Frederick Ryan to increase outreach and resources to addicts in the community.

About P.A.A.R.I.
The Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I.) was started to support local police departments as they work with opioid addicts. Rather than arrest our way out of the problem of drug addiction, P.A.A.R.I. committed police departments:

  • Encourage opioid drug users to seek recovery
  • Help distribute life saving opioid blocking drugs to prevent and treat overdoses
  • Connect addicts with treatment programs and facilities
  • Provide resources to other police departments and communities that want to do more to fight the opioid addiction epidemic

P.A.A.R.I. was created by Gloucester Police Chief Leonard Campanello and John Rosenthal to bridge the gap between the police department and opioid addicts seeking recovery. It launched shortly after Chief Campanello begin the Gloucester Police Department’s revolutionary ANGEL Initiative, which allows drug addicts to come directly to the police station, dispose of any remaining drugs or paraphernalia and be placed directly into a treatment facility without fear of arrest.