As of Thursday, 65 people died of a drug overdose in Schuylkill County this year.

Those grim numbers are reminders of people lost and the toll the drug epidemic has taken on the lives on those left behind. Last year, 119 people died of a drug overdose countywide.

Tuesday is International Overdose Awareness Day, one to end overdoses and remember those who have died and are left behind. President Joe Biden declared Aug. 29 through Sept. 4 as Overdose Awareness Week.

In Tamaqua, Safer Streets for Tamaqua’s Little Feet, New Roots Recovery Center and Hope and Coffee are observing the day from 4 to 7 p.m. in Depot Square Park.

County residents are encouraged to hang a ribbon on a tree, take a candlelight walk up Pine Street, crossing over Railroad Street and back to the park. Balloons will be released after the walk. Free refreshments and food are available.

“I would love to have every person in Tamaqua come out to this awareness event,” Tammy Sienkiewicz said Wednesday. Sienkiewicz, of Tamaqua, is the mother of Alexandria “Alex” Sienkiewicz, 23, who died of a fentanyl overdose April 2, 2016.

Sienkiewicz said she honors Alex and all others who have died of an overdose by educating people on substance abuse disorder.

She wants people to know “they are not alone. They have nothing to be ashamed of.”

Believing that someone you love or know can’t die of a drug overdose is a mistaken assumption.

“Not my child are the most dangerous words,” Sienkiewicz said.

Data from the Schuylkill County Corner’s Office show 27 of the 65 people who died had fentanyl in their system and 26 had methamphetamine. Heroin, amphetamine and even xyzaline, a veterinary drug were among the drugs found.

The youngest to die was a 21-year-old man with amphetamine, methamphetamine and THC. The oldest was a 75-year-old woman who had antidepressants found. Males accounted for 47 deaths; females 18. A few of the drug deaths are pending toxicology results.

Schuylkill County Coroner Dr. J. Moylan III said “the problem in Schuylkill County is not going away and in fact seems to be worsening. It seems to me Schuylkill County has become a sanctuary county as far as drug use goes,” he said.

Moylan drew the analogy between some cities providing safe haven for undocumented immigrants and drug dealers in the county.

“It’s clear that we are welcoming drug dealers,” he said.

Schuylkill County District Attorney Michael O’Pake laughed when told Moylan’s comment.

“That might be the most ridiculous statement that I have ever heard,” he said.

He said that that, to him, is a “personal attack on every law enforcement officer and agency in Schuylkill County and that includes state agencies including the attorney general’s office, and federal agencies including the FBI, that I work with routinely to combat drugs in Schuylkill County.”

He said Moylan “should keep his opinions to himself” unless he has proof to support his claims.

“I believe that the agencies that we have in Schuylkill County do a wonderful job bringing substance abuse to the forefront (in providing education and opportunities to stop substance abuse,” O’Pake said.

He is not surprised at the deaths involving fentanyl.

“Initially I would see it mixed with heroin,” however, now it is sometimes mixed with marijuana, tramadol and other drugs.

O’Pake said someone in the coroner’s office called him about 35 to 45 days ago about the drug xyzaline being found in a deceased person.

“It’s very unfortunate that someone died as a result of it,” he said.