July 13, 2011
Vol 13 No 28
July 8, 2015
Walking with a purpose Recipe
11
Make summer memories for less
Around Town
2
School
8
Business
7
Movie
9
Nurse saves student’s life
Submitted photos LEFT: Walkers participate in a Walking for Wellness-Stop Heroin In Memory of Nicky Vigna event in St. Charles on June 20. RIGHT: Four-year-old Lilian Halvachs holds a poster of her mother Krystle Flaherty at a Walking for Wellness-Stop Heroin In Memory of Nicky Vigna event held in Flaherty’s honor in Belleville, Illinois last year.
Walking for Wellness - Stop Heroin brings awareness to rise of overdoses By Brett Auten Every week they are out there. An army of sorts, walking the streets and roads of St. Charles County donned in bright pink, yellow, or orange shirts, with a message that is as clear as the black, bold letters on them that spell out “Stop Heroin.” Walking for Wellness-Stop Heroin In Memory of Nicky Vigna is a local non-profit whose mission is to educate the community on the dangers of heroin and prevent initiation of use. It is estimated that 376 people died of heroin overdoses in the St. Louis/ St. Charles region last year, a nearly 33 percent increase in five years. Walking for Wellness-Stop Heroin In Memory of Nicky Vigna was founded in memory of Nicky Vigna, who died of a heroin overdose. Nicky struggled with heroin addiction for three years. Nicky’s mother, Gee Vigna is the whirlwind behind the movement, which has seen tribute walks and similar weekly walks branch out to Madison County, Southern Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana. It all started when Gee was walking in her neighborhood with the first bright “Stop Heroin” shirt on. A neighbor soon approached her and shared her own family turmoil with the drug. “We had known each other for 12
years and had never had a conversation about it,” Vigna said. “But just because I put a shirt that said, ‘Stop Heroin’ on she felt comfortable to come up and talk to me.” Vigna soon produced a shirt for the neighbor to wear and before they knew it the inspiration for Walking for Wellness came to light. On May 21, the first walk was held and every week since then, rain or shine (when the weather is cold the walk is held at Mid Rivers Mall), people have come. “Social media can be your worst or best friend,” Vigna said. “In this case, it was our best. People from all over the United States began reaching out asking how they can help or telling me their story.” One of the mantras that Vigna and Walking for Wellness want to pound into the consciousness of people is “not even once.” “This is lethal,” Vigna said. “This is a once can do you in. Your community has to know it’s out there. If there was a plague threatening your community, you would want to know. What you don’t know about this drug will hurt you.” Vigna has done numerous speaking engagements at area schools and her receptions vary. Unfortunately, for some of the high schoolers, it’s a little late in the game.
“They are like, ‘it’s already here. I can get heroin in five minutes. Why did it take so long for you to get here?’” Vigna said. “They already have friends, cousins, using.” At the middle school level there is a little bit more of an impact. “At that age, they are already exposed to prescription pills, marijuana, drinking, and cigarettes,” Vigna said. “It is hard to translate to young kids what kind of control it has.” On July 11, a memorial walk will be held for Kristen Windham at Jordan’s Place, 202 E Main Street in Warrenton. There are photos of Kristen at previous walks wearing a ‘Stop Heroin’ shirt. Now there will be a memorial walk in her honor due to her loss to this viscous drug. “Heroin is a lying, stealing thief that sells your soul to the devil,” Vigna said. “When the drug gets a hold of you, it is that bad. The larger portion of the county doesn’t understand this problem. From little kids, to middle school, to high school, this is out there.” For future walk locations check out the Walking for Wellness-Stop Heroin In Memory of Nicky Vigna facebook page, www.facebook.com/stopheroin! For more information, you can email Vigna at w4wstopheroin@ gmail.com
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