Published September 16, 2020

By DAN TOMASELLO

LYNNFIELD — The second annual A Night of Hope will take place on Sunday, Sept. 20, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Lynnfield Middle School.

A Healthy Lynnfield and the Think of Michael Foundation are hosting the event once again in order to raise awareness about substance abuse and mental health issues as part of National Recovery Month. Last year’s A Night of Hope featured 600 attendees.

Selectman Dick Dalton and his family launched the Think of Michael Foundation in honor of their late son and brother, Michael, who passed away from an opiate overdose while in outpatient treatment in January 2018. The nonprofit organization funds scholarships that allow people in recovery to stay at a sober house. A Healthy Lynnfield is the town’s substance use prevention coalition.

In the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the second annual A Night of Hope will feature a car procession that will begin and end at the middle school. The event’s theme is “Rally for recovery.”

“We are pleased that we are able to do it given all that is going on with COVID,” said Think of Michael President Carmela Dalton. “Things are going be a lot different this year. It is imperative that we uphold the safety guidelines such as social distancing. We will hand out masks to people who don’t have masks.”

Think of Michael Treasurer Dick Dalton agreed.

“We would have loved to have done it the way we did it last year,” said Dick. “We had a great turnout and it would have been great to do that again. After talking with our board, community leaders and A Healthy Lynnfield, we all felt it should go forward. We have come up with a way we can recognize National Recovery Month without putting anyone at risk. We are excited about it and have had a great response from the community.”

Selectman Phil Crawford, who is A Healthy Lynnfield’s chairman, echoed the Daltons’ sentiment.

“The plan is to do a procession this year,” said Crawford. “The Think of Michael Foundation and A Healthy Lynnfield are being vigilant in their work to reduce and prevent substance abuse and help people with mental health issues.”

After residents arrive at LMS, Carmela said attendees will be given purple votive candles, T-shirts and purple ribbons.

“We will then proceed with the procession,” said Carmela. “It will be a solemn celebration.”

According to the procession route, attendees will turn right onto Main Street, bear right onto South Common Street and will proceed onto Summer Street. Attendees will then take a left onto Salem Street and will turn left into Our Lady of the Assumption Church’s parking lot in order to reverse direction back onto Salem Street.

Attendees will then turn right onto Summer Street and will turn right onto Main Street. Afterwards, attendees will turn left onto Lowell Street, left onto Chestnut Street, left onto Main Street and will turn right into LMS for the closing ceremony.

Members of the Lynnfield Clergy Association will be giving a blessing at the end of the procession.

“All of the pastors from the different denominations in town will be there,” said Dick. “There won’t be a speaking program like last year.”

Carmela said attendees have the choice to either light their votive candles inside or outside of a car.

“There will be no interaction from one car to another car,” said Carmela. “If people choose not to get out of their car, that is fine. They can just light the votives inside their car. If people feel comfortable standing outside of their car with their family, that is okay too because everyone is going to be wearing masks.”

Similar to last year, the Town Common will be lit up in purple, which is the color for National Recovery Month. Boston RV Rental owner Bob Priestley will be using a projector in order to light up the Meeting House in purple as well as projecting a purple ribbon on the building.

There will also be 500 purple flags placed on the Common. Dick, Think of Michael Vice President Jamie Dalton, Think of Michael Vice President Jon Cook and the Daltons’ grandson Lucas Cook will be putting floodlights around the Meeting House before the event.

“There are going to be purple candles in the Meeting House,” Carmela added. “There will be purple ribbons in the center of town and going down towards the middle school. We encourage everyone to wear purple because that is the color for National Recovery Month. People can decorate their cars, put a bow outside of their front door and put a purple candle in their window.”

After the blessing concludes, Carmela said Priestley is going to play a couple of songs as the event’s DJ, including “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”

Carmela encouraged residents to attend the second annual A Night of Hope in order to support people in recovery as well as remember those who have lost their battles with addiction.

“We hope to raise awareness and have continued support and hope for those in recovery and their families,” said Carmela. “And for those families who lost a loved one to substance use disorder, we offer our love and our prayers. Always remember death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.”

Dick concurred with his wife’s viewpoint.

“We want to keep the issue out front and raise awareness,” said Dick. “It was satisfying seeing all of the young people there last year. We hope they will come again this year because they are our top targets for this type of event.”