RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — To highlight the perils of drug abuse and how communities can help with prevention, three community events are planned throughout Riverside County, the first next month in Riverside, where a walk and other activities are scheduled.
The One Life, One Heart Overdose Awareness Walk is scheduled for 8 a.m. on April 12 in Fairmount Park, 2601 Fairmount Blvd., according to the Riverside University Health System.
“These walks are more than a remembrance,” county Board of Supervisors Chairman Manuel Perez said. “They are a call to unite, support one another and build a community where hope replaces loss and recovery is within reach for all.”
A 5K walk is planned, along with a resource fair, featuring information on the threat from fentanyl and other controlled substances. There will additionally be free lunches.
“When we walk together at these events, we remember those we’ve lost, while standing shoulder-to-shoulder with those who are still struggling so that they have the resources and support needed to move forward,” Public Health Officer Dr. Matthew Chang said.
The Riverside walk will be followed by two other gatherings:
- Palm Desert Civic Center, 43900 San Pablo Ave., 7 a.m. on April 26; and
- Murrieta Town Square Park, 1 Town Square, 8 a.m. on June 7.
The latest public health figures show 296 fentanyl fatalities countywide in 2024. The data are subject to revision because December numbers remain unconfirmed. However, barring a major change, the current total would represent a sizable drop from prior years. In 2023, there were 570 fentanyl poisonings, while in 2022, there were 527, according to the RUHS.
The agency cited U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention data indicating that, nationwide, roughly 97,000 overdose deaths were documented over the 12 months ending June 30, 2024, a 14% drop from the prior 12-month period.
The county events will include opportunities for attendees to procure services related to temporary housing assistance, behavioral health counseling and general health care, according to officials.
Register at for your run/walk in Riverside, Palm Desert and Murrieta at bit.ly/1LifeWalker25.
