About Our Founder

My name is Jean Peckfelder, and I am both grateful and honored to kick off our 3rd Annual Overdose Awareness, Remembrance, and Prevention Event on Saturday, August 30, 2025. This event will held at Plaza Park in Ventura, CA from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and hopefully you will help us shine a light on this crucial issue here in Ventura.

I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt thanks to the incredible team—my “herd”—who has worked tirelessly alongside me to bring this vision to life. Your dedication and countless hours of hard work have made today possible, and from the bottom of my heart, I want to say thank you. This means so much to me and my family.

I also want to extend a special thank you to my husband, Mike. I know August can get a little chaotic—maybe it’s me who gets a bit crazy—but thank you, Babe, for your unwavering support and patience through all my adventures. Together, we lead Celebrate Recovery at Grace Church Ventura on Monday nights. If you or anyone you know is struggling with a hurt, habit, or hang-up, we invite you to join us at one of the local Ventura meetings.

I celebrate 8 years of recovery from an opiate addiction, and my husband, by the grace of God, will celebrate 20 years of recovery from drugs and alcohol this July. 

Every year during the month of August we come together to remember those who have lost their battle with addiction, to bring awareness to those currently struggling, and to support those in recovery. We also hold in our hearts the families who are hurting, we see you.

For many of you, the impact of addiction is all too personal. Mike and I lost our son, Mikey, on August 23rd, 2009, to a heroin overdose. That day, Cally and Emma lost their daddy, Tiffany and Heather lost their big brother, and many of you lost a dear friend. Mikey’s addiction and subsequent death continue to affect our family deeply and we miss him every day.

Mikey was 26 when he died. He had a heart of gold, a smile that could light up a room, and a love for life that was infectious. He played football and was known for his fierce spirit on the field. Off the field, he was kind and loving. His journey with pain medication began with injuries sustained during football, and despite the assurances from Big Pharma that these medications were non-addictive, we now know the truth. Over 80% of opioid addicts were prescribed pain meds by a doctor before developing an addiction.

Mikey’s struggle with addiction was long and painful, involving cycles of rehab and relapse. His death was a devastating loss that we continue to grieve. We know many families in Ventura are experiencing this same pain, and our hearts go out to each of you.

In the wake of Mikey’s death, I was determined to honor his memory and contribute to the fight against this epidemic. I began to see the devastating impact of addiction and the rise of fentanyl-laced drugs. I felt a calling to raise awareness and share our story, hoping to prevent others from experiencing the same loss. Through sharing Mikey’s story and our own experiences, we’ve seen how God has used our pain to help others find hope and recovery.

Today, as we gain the strength of coming together and standing in support of those connected to the tragedy of overdose. For people who use drugs and those who don’t. For heartbroken friends and family members of lost loved ones. For activists who fight for sorely needed policy reform. For healthcare and harm reduction workers. For tireless advocates. Overdose can affect anyone, and we encourage you to be persistent and determined in our community. Lean into the power that we can have when we work together.

Thank you for your courage, and for your commitment to this cause. Let’s work together to create a safer Ventura and beyond, free from the stigma and the harm of overdose.

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