Fredonia resident Bill Matteson has been on a mission since the death of his son, Justin, in 2019 due to a heroin overdose. As executive director of of the Children of Opiate Parents and Empowerment (COPE) Foundation 19, Matteson wants the community to understand the serious issue facing numerous residents battling addiction.

“It’s an awareness and a wake up, I call it,” he said of the dedication of a memory garden in the village. “People need to know this is real,” he said. “These are names of people in this community who died.”

A ribbon-cutting for the location will take place on Friday at noon at the United Methodist Church on Church Street. The garden began in early August and contains a plaque that will list names of overdose victims, and a sign that explains the purpose of the COPE Foundation 19 and the garden.

In 2021 during the pandemic, Chautauqua County health officials noted growing numbers of deaths tied to overdosing. At that time, data indicated overdose fatalities rose 18%, from 33 in 2019 to 39 in 2020 in Chautauqua County.

Local officials, including village Mayor Doug Essek, have voiced support for the effort that adds publicity to an ordeal that can oftentimes be lonely or kept in the dark. The reality, unfortunately, is too many lives have been impacted in recent years by this addiction. We must give our attention to these struggles.