EL DORADO HILLS, Calif. — A public town hall focused on the growing fentanyl crisis will be held Feb. 26 in El Dorado Hills, organized by a local mother who lost her son to fentanyl poisoning last fall and is urging the community to confront what she calls a silent epidemic.
The event, titled “Let’s Talk About Fentanyl in Our Community,” will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, at Marble Valley Academy Business Park, 5005 Hillsdale Circle. The forum is free and open to the public, with families encouraged to attend.
The town hall is being held in memory of Michael Nalewaja, who was born and raised in El Dorado Hills and graduated from local schools before relocating to Alaska for a career opportunity. Nalewaja died in November in Anchorage from fentanyl poisoning, according to his family.
“I’m shocked at how big of an epidemic this is that we’re not talking about here in El Dorado County,” said his mother, Kelley Nalewaja, who organized the event. “This felt like a better use of my tears.”
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid up to 50 times stronger than heroin, can be lethal in amounts as small as 2 milligrams — roughly the size of a pencil tip. Law enforcement officials say the drug is increasingly found mixed into counterfeit pills and other substances, often without users’ knowledge.
The forum will feature representatives from the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office and other local law enforcement agencies, along with federal, state, and local elected officials. Educational resources will be provided, and local families will share firsthand accounts of how fentanyl has impacted their lives.
A special guest will include a Sheriff’s Office K-9 trained in narcotics detection. A fundraiser will also be held to support the continued care and safety of the K-9, which assists in keeping dangerous drugs out of the community.
Organizers say the goal of the event is prevention through awareness — giving residents factual information, real stories, and access to resources before tragedy strikes.
More information is available by contacting kelleynale@outlook.com.
