We received a copy of the press release below. It’s a very important topic that needs more awareness, so we wanted to share this event with everyone as well.

The Syracuse Crunch are partnering with the Heroin Epidemic Action League (H.E.A.L.) to host a Heroin and Addiction Awareness Talk presented by National Grid and Spectrum News on Friday, March 31 in Crunch Club in the lower level of the War Memorial Arena at 5:30 p.m. before the team plays the Toronto Marlies at 7 p.m.

The Heroin and Addiction Awareness Talk will feature Brent Axe of Syracuse.com and ESPN Syracuse, along with Lisa Ryan, Joel Campagnola and John Socci from H.E.A.L., who will share personal stories of losing family members and children to addiction along with signs and symptoms. The talk is open to all middle school and high school students and parents.

The panel will discuss substance abuse, how to get help and warning signs for parents and friends along with personal stories about family members who have struggled with addiction. The talk will be held in Crunch Club in the lower level of the War Memorial Arena beginning at 5:30 p.m.

During the game, attendees may visit the H.E.A.L. table on the concourse to learn more about the organization and receive additional information about substance abuse and preventative actions. According to the American Society of Addition Medicine, of the 20.5 million Americans in 2015 aged 12 and older with substance abuse disorders, two million had a disorder involving prescription pain relievers and 591,000 involving heroin. In that year, drug overdose was the leading cause of accidental death with 52,404 reported cases: 20,101 related to prescription pain relievers and 12,990 related to heroin. In 2012, 259 million prescriptions were written for opioids, which is more than enough to give every American adult their own bottle of pills.

Attendees who pre-register for the Heroin and Addiction Awareness Talk will receive a complimentary ticket to the game on March 31 and may purchase additional tickets for $15. Walk-in attendees may also purchase game tickets for $15.

To reserve a seat, visit the Crunch office at 800 S. State St. in Syracuse or contact the team at 315-473-4444.

Inspired by the loss of loved ones, the Heroin Epidemic Action League, based in Auburn, New York, formed as a grassroots initiative to turn talking about substance abuse into preventative action. Established in 2015, H.E.A.L. works to create a community wide effort to prevent substance abuse, and to initiate and implement needed resources to assist those affected by the disease of addiction. For more information, visit http://www.healheroin.org.

Syracuse Crunch single game and season tickets for the 2016-17 season are on sale now and can be purchased either in person at the Crunch office located in the War Memorial Arena at 800 S. State St. in Syracuse or by calling the office at 315- 473-4444.

For the latest Crunch news, visit www.syracusecrunch.com or follow the club on Facebook (www.facebook.com/syracusecrunch), Twitter (@SyracuseCrunch) and Instagram (@syracusecrunch) using #SyrCrunch, #WeAreOne and #BLUnited.

###