Healthy Communities Building to ‘Light Up Purple’ for Overdose Awareness Day

On August 31 each year, buildings across the world light up purple for International Overdose Awareness Day. It’s a powerful tribute to lives lost, and a call to action.

On Sunday, August 31, 2025, Healthy Communities Coalition of Lyon and Storey Counties (HCC) will light up its 209 Dayton Valley Road building with purple. Lighting up the night sends a clear message: overdose is preventable, and together, people are committed to saving lives.

“Light it purple” is a campaign for International Overdose Awareness Day, which takes place annually on August 31st. Around the world, people light landmarks and buildings purple to remember those lost to overdose and raise awareness of the crisis.

The purple light serves as a symbolic call to action, a recognition of loss and grief, a demand for change, and a show of hope and compassion. The purple light represents not only remembrance but also hope, symbolizing a commitment to creating a future free from overdose.

By illuminating public spaces, the movement brings the overdose crisis out of the shadows and encourages public conversation about substance use, overdose risks, and prevention. Displaying purple helps to combat the stigma surrounding addiction, which can be a significant barrier for individuals seeking help.

How to participate

Beyond illuminating landmarks, there are other ways to participate in the “light it purple” campaign:

Display purple lights: Change your porch light or other lights at your home or business to purple.

Wear purple: Wear purple clothing or a purple ribbon to show your support and start conversations.

Naloxone (Narcan): Naloxone is a medication that can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, giving time until the emergency services can arrive. HCC’s food pantries in Yerington, Silver Springs and Dayton offer free naloxone and can explain how to use it.

Fentanyl test strips detect deadly contamination. Test strips can be found at HCC’s food pantries in Yerington, Silver Springs and Dayton.

Medication lockboxes and medication disposal kits: HCC food pantries also offer medication lockboxes and medication disposal kits. Using a lock box for medication in your home can prevent accidental overdoses, theft, and potential misuse. Medication disposal kits are used to safely neutralize and dispose of unwanted medications at home, preventing accidental poisoning, misuse, and drug diversion.

Drug Take Back Days and sheriff’s substations drop boxes: During annual Drug Take Back Days, HCC joins the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office and the Storey County Sheriff’s Office to host drop off locations for unneeded medications. The next Drug Take Back Day in Lyon and Storey counties takes place on October 25, 2025 in Virginia City, Dayton, Silver Springs and Yerington. Local sheriff’s substations also offer drop boxes for unneeded medication safe disposal.

HCC Deputy Director Noel Chounet invites the community to “join us in raising awareness and offering support. Together, we stand united, advocating for hope, healing, and change.”

For more information about prevention and resources, visit Healthy Communities’ website at healthycomm.org.