The biggest event of the year for Heart of the Westside Neighborhood was “Neighbor Day,” also called Overdose Awareness Day 2024. The event was held Aug. 31, 2024 on the grounds of 1909 W. Chestnut Expwy., which is the future home of Passion Assembly of God. The main sponsors were Living Proof, a recovery ministry, River Bluff Fellowship, and Passion Assembly of God. Other partners included Convoy of Hope, Barnabas Barbecue, Lillie Compton of Missouri Families Fighting Fentanyl, Midtown Recovery Ministries, Big Boy Men’s Ministry, and several other recovery ministries. Jim Curl provided live music.
Volunteers helped with parking, booths, grocery line, a snow cone machine and popcorn machine (both provided by Community Partnership of the Ozarks), a prayer tent, and a food tent. In addition to the grocery line, there was a clothing tent, as well as free Narcan and some training materials for overdose awareness. There were also bouncy houses and activities for kids.
Speakers included retired Springfield police officer Mark Deeds, a DEA officer who talked about drug statistics, a representative from the Greene County Sheriff’s Department, Paul Choate, Brooks Williams, Rev. Scott Watson, Rev. Billy Cockrum, and many others. Several of the speakers gave their own personal testimonies about overcoming drug addiction or losing family members to overdoses. It is estimated that over 1,500 people attended this event. Deliverance Temple provided overflow parking.
It was a good, family-friendly event that helped to make people aware of overdose problems.