The sixth annual Safer Streets for Tamaqua’s Little Feet event had fun events for children, but the underlying message was to prevent drug deaths.

Tammy Sienkiewicz was the organizer the festive, yet educational event. It was also staged as a tribute to her daughter Alexandria, who died of a fentanyl overdose on April 2, 2016, at the age of 23.

Though visibly tired from working at the six-hour event - not including the hours spent preparing and tearing down - Sienkiewicz wore a wide smile as she gushed that the Safer Streets event “was a huge success.”

She estimates about 500 people attended throughout the day. Another 100 or more participated in a 2-mile memory walk. Another 60 people were part of a butterfly release.

Sienkiewicz said after Alexandria died, she and her husband, John, “realized there are so many people who didn’t know where to turn.”

She said, “After our daughter passed, I was angry. Then, I looked at my husband and said, ‘We’re going to walk this town, out of the darkness and into the light, and show we have nothing to be ashamed of.’?”

She founded the group Safer Streets for Tamaqua’s Little Feet and organized a walk in memory of all people who suffered losses from drug overdoses. Her first walk seven years ago, held in Tamaqua borough, occurred in heavy rain but still attracted over 300 people.

It was moved to Owl Creek Reservoir to incorporate educational displays, speakers, music, fun for the children and most of all, memorials for loved ones. Last year’s was canceled due to the pandemic.

Not only did Saturday’s event successfully attain all the intended objectives, it also unveiled how the pain from the drug crisis is inflicted on so many people.

As an example, members of “Grandparents Raising Grandchildren” attended. The online support group was started by Tamaqua resident Carmen McGlothlin and boasts some 3,000 members worldwide. Joy Thatcher of Vero Beach, Florida, Michael John of Pittsburgh, Tawna Charles Fischer of New Hampshire and Laura Mains of Roseto attended. Dawn Marley of Bethlehem and her daughter Cayla Marley of Hamburg attended in memory of daughter and sister Brittany Marley of Coaldale died on March 15, 2016.

A large purple cardboard ribbon decorated the walkway at the Safer Streets fest. There people were encouraged to place photos of relatives they lost to drugs.

Mike and Tammy Kline of Lansford attached a photo of their daughter Christine Erbe, 21, of Lansford, who died in 2016 from fentanyl. Tammy said she didn’t realize Christine had a problem until she sought help. She appeared to have conquered her addiction, “but friends didn’t support her” and, she said, it resulted in her death.

While harboring the memories of those deceased was certainly priority, there were representatives of various organizations and facilities that offered education and even assistance for households where an addiction problem is present.

Rebecca Dominguez represented Community Care of Moosic, which has facilities across the state and is a behavioral health managed care organization.

She said her organization works with Medicaid patients and others on behavioral health issues as well as drug and alcohol treatment.

Jolleen Steinmetz and Nikki Reese introduced attendees to Child Development of Tamaqua, a preschool where screening is done for Head Start and Pre-K counts for low-income families.

Guardian Angels Recovery of Hazleton is a recovering house for addicts which was represented.

Well over a dozen agencies were represented.

St. Luke’s Hospital and Hydro Inc. of Cressona had job applications available.

The event drew people from a wide area. Barbara Houser of New Jersey, formerly of Tamaqua, came with her two sons saying she specifically visited for the Safer Streets event.

Sienkiewicz said among the highlights was a talk by William Rowan of Lehigh Valley Counseling Service, Saint Clair. Rowan is a champion for behavioral health programming in Schuylkill County.

Children were treated to snow cones and free popcorn.

A free community naloxone and overdose response training session was held.

Sienkiewicz said, “It’s nice to get to an event in the Skook (Schuylkill area) where we show kids we can have fun without drugs and alcohol. That’s what we want to show our kids.”