Arlene Last‐Kolb and Janis Gillam both lost a child to overdose. They have turned their grief into activism and art, creating our current Community Corridor display Gone Too Soon. It features purple poppies on which are written messages of loss, longing and hope.

Last‐Kolb and Gillam want to end the stigma of drug use, which they call “a public health matter, not a moral failing.” They advocate for better protection of human rights and dignity through proven harm reduction methods.

Come by the Museum on August 31 between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. to commemorate Overdose Awareness Day. Engage with Last‐Kolb and Gillam, who will help participants create their own poppies to honour loved ones lost to a poisoned drug supply.

Manitoba Harm Reduction will also be on hand to offer training on how to administer naloxone to counter an overdose.