Event Date: August 31st 2026
Posted On: October 14 2026
To recap: On August 31st, 2025, we (SOPEN - Substance Overdose Prevention and Education Network) created an outdoor living room for International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) that was inspired by the concept and art of the Wind Phone. A Wind Phone is an unconnected telephone installed in a public space for people to speak to lost loved ones, offering a way to express grief and unsaid emotions to the wind. The phone itself is not connected to any network, but the act of speaking into it provides a sense of emotional connection and a means of coping with grief. The installation was brought to The Hub to continue holding people through their grief.
On August 31st 2026, we brought the Living(Grief) Room back to Gore Park, Hamilton, ON, for IOAD 2026. Here’s what we saw…
“Hope and faith. Never give up.”
“You are so loved and missed.”
“Your life matters.”
“The Hub saved my life. Loving my life now.”
“To: My mom, Miss you so much.”
“Keep shining your light.”
“When the people found out what I’d been doing, how I’ve been living, they’d ask me, why? But there’s no use in talking to people who have a home. They don’t know what it’s like to seek safety in other people. For home to be wherever you lie your head.”
“I wish you could see this.”
“Gone but never forgotten.”
“You deserve a world to live in,
A bed to truly rest in,
And the warm embrace of unconditional love and support.”
“What makes you you is special and unique. Don’t let anyone bring you down on the darkest of days. Let the sun shine bright on your good days and put on a big bright smile.”
“Stewart was here.”
I’d like to also give a special shoutout to Stewart Cameron - Steel City Stew on socials. Sadly, Stew passed away this year (2026), and he is loved and missed by so many. Stew was a major help in the set up, take down and running of this project on IOAD 2025; I don’t think he even recognized how much easier he made my life on that day, but I immediately recognized it and never forgot. Stew was a huge cheerleader for people doing cool, exciting and community-oriented things, he had a massive heart, and he was the embodiment of a deep belly-laugh and big bear hug. Stewart was a big supporter of Liberty for Youth - if you have the resources and would like to donate in celebration of his life, I’ll invite you to donate to Liberty for Youth HERE.
This installation will always remind me of him and what a pillar he was / will continue to be in our community.