“Just because no one’s talking about it, doesn’t mean the deaths aren’t still happening,” says Kathy Day, who for the 16th year is again organizing what has become a sacred end of summer ritual on the Gloucester waterfront for those who’ve lost loved ones to death by overdose.
Originally called simply an overdose vigil, the event, at twilight Aug. 31, will again transform the western end of Stacy Boulevard with glowing luminaries — each penned with the name of a beloved life lost to drugs — is now called Luminaries & Love. Over the years, those luminaries have grown in number from a few hundred in 2012 to, at last count, 1,500.
Day, the northeast director of Learn to Cope, a support network for those affected by addiction, says the power of those plain paper bags — each scribbled with names and messages of love to those lost — never ceases to astonish her.
Lit from within with a simple candle, each becomes a profoundly moving glowing memorial that speaks reverently of the depth of loss.
Last year, “we had rain and many of the the luminaries were soaked,” says Day, who each year collects and carefully stores the bags in her home.
Her solution? To organize groups of volunteers to meticulously cut out the names and messages and paste them on new bags, restoring them to memorials.
For years, the luminaries had been anchored with sand, then Day had the extremely bright idea of replacing the sand with cans of donated food, and so the event also became food drive. Over the years, it has contributed tons of food to The Open Door, Cape Ann’s food pantry
Now a partner in the event, The Open Door’s truck delivers and collects the cans (which, by the way, can also be plastic containers containing such as peanut butter or protein drinks).
Last year, 2,007 pounds were donated. So far this year, 700 pounds have come in, but there’s still plenty of time to donate.
Collection boxes for donations can be found in Gloucester at Cape Ann Lanes, 53 Gloucester Ave. in Gloucester; on the front porch of Middlesex Recovery, 61 Prospect St.; at the the entrance of West Gloucester Trinitarian Church, 488 Essex Ave.; and in the lobby of the Cape Ann YMCA, 7 Gloucester Crossing.
Easier still, Day has organized an Amazon Wish for Luminaries & Love 2026 at https://bit.ly/4zbZ8Np
Day, who last year received an award from North Shore Health Project and One-Stop Harm Reduction Program for spearheading the vigil and food drive, says that for families and friends navigating loss, attendance at the vigil helps create a powerful message that they and their loved ones are not forgotten.
Likewise, community support can mean the world to them. People can talk to them about their loved one, she says. Share memories and photos. Let them know that their loss matters, that the life of their loved one matters, urge them to seek support from local nonprofits such as Learn to Cope.
As such, people can show up for them on the waterfront at 6 p.m. Aug. 31, National Overdose Awareness Day, next to the Stacy Boulevard flagpole by the Blynman Bridge.
Joann Mackenzie may be contacted at 978-675-2707 or jmackenzie@northofboston.com.