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Opioid overdose awareness golf outing
A golf outing at Brighton Dale Links in Racine County had a meaning that went far beyond the course Saturday, Aug. 5.
RACINE COUNTY, Wis. - A golf outing at Brighton Dale Links in Racine County had meaning that went far beyond the course Saturday, Aug. 5.
It's all about the aim – more than getting a good shot – when it comes to reducing deadly opioid overdoses.
"Anybody can save a life, right?" said Liza Jervis, Sarah's Hope & Recovery Foundation NARCAN trainer. "It can save a life in two seconds."
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As part of that mission, the kind of training happening on the ninth hole wasn't to improve a golfer's game, but on how to administer NARCAN – a safe drug that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose.
The "Golf Fore Sarah" outing Saturday raised money for the Sarah's Hope & Recovery Foundation. The foundation trained more than 250 people on how to use NARCAN last year with a goal of doubling that this year.
"Golf Fore Sarah" outing raises money for Sarahs Hope & Recovery Foundation
"We have a bunch of kids now who are going to be in the high school this year with NARCAN in their backpack," said Jervis. "As much as parents say ‘never my child,’ they’ve had overdoses already at our high school in town."
"Substance abuse is a disease," said Theresa Newman.
Newman founded the Sarah's Hope & Recovery Foundation after her 27-year-old pregnant daughter Sarah Beckius died in 2021 from a fentanyl-laced pill.
"She was a spitfire, but she had a heart of gold," Newman said.
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The foundation is partnering with a clinic to help connect families like Newman's to therapy.
"We’re here to help, because that was something that we all struggled with when we lost Sarah," said Anna Beckius, the foundation's vice chair and Sarah's sister-in-law.
Another goal, Anna said, is reducing the stigma often found in comment sections on social media.
"It’s OK. We want to help you, and we want to help make change," she said. "Kenosha Police Department, Kenosha County sheriff, they’ll put out a public service announcement, ‘hey be careful, we’ve had a lot of deaths this weekend, we’ve had a spike in deaths,’ and such nasty comments get put on there right away – ‘let ‘em die, who cares,’ but you know what? It hasn’t impacted them. And someday it will."
Sara's Hope Narcan training; Sarah Beckius
Sarah’s death took them down this path, but loved ones said they are staying the course on their mission to help others.
"It sucks. We all miss her so much, but if we can make change then I know she’ll be happy and proud of all of us," said Anna.
Beyond the golf course, Sarah's Hope & Recovery Foundation will go to businesses to do NARCAN trainings as well. Newman said, after one of their NARCAN trainings, a woman who attended found someone unresponsive and saved that person's life with her training.