Talbot Goes Purple announced this week a student material design contest as part of the substance use prevention initiative.

Talbot Goes Purple is a substance use prevention initiative geared toward helping kids stand up against substance abuse. Now entering year five, the initiative helps young people learn that they do not need substances to meet life’s challenges. Talbot Goes Purple includes school-based student clubs, outreach and education activities, and encourages the community to ‘Go Purple’ as a sign of support and solidarity.

This year’s student contest offers a fun opportunity for local kids to get involved. While some schools have reopened and activities are starting to happen again, the ongoing pandemic has challenged our youth in unprecedented ways. The latest reports on overdoses, coupled with statistics on increased anxiety and depression among our youth, has reinforced the message that substance use prevention – and healthy and fun activities, are critically important.

“A year of that has been anything but normal has really left our kids struggling with mental health issues like anxiety and depression,” said Talbot County Sheriff Joe Gamble. “Perhaps more than ever, we remain committed at finding ways to support our youth during this time. We hope that our contest can provide a little fun as we all navigate getting back into our daily routines.”

The contest runs from now through June 30 and is open to all Talbot County students. Middle school students are encouraged to redesign the Talbot Goes Purple car stickers; high school students are invited to create a design for this year’s T-shirt. The top two designs in each category will go to a vote on the Talbot Goes Purple Facebook page. The winner in each category receives a $300 gift card, courtesy of Spring & Associates.

Car sticker designs should be no more than two colors, and sized either at 5” by 5” or 3” high by 10” wide, and readable at that size from a distance of at least 10 feet. T-shirt designs should be one color and on an imprint size of 14.5” high by 17” wide. These designs are for the front of the shirts.

Reports from the state department of health show that non-fatal overdoses in young people across the state increased 15% in the second and third quarters of 2020, while emergency room visits have increased three-fold. Maryland’s Department of Health (MDH) has developed a guide for adolescents and young adults that includes resources, coping skills and other relevant information. That guide is available on the MDH website via that agency’s Behavioral Health Administration.

Along with the video contest, TGP also has a radio PSA project through a continuing partnership with 96.7 WCEI and 94.3 WINX-FM. Student ambassadors record a provided educational message as a 30-second PSA that will air during September. The project is open to any student in Talbot County and submissions are due Aug. 28.

For information on the student programs, contact [email protected].

If you or someone you know needs immediate help with mental health please dial 9-1-1 if it is an emergency. For non-emergency crisis support please contact the Eastern Shore Crisis Response line at 888-407-8018.

Talbot Goes Purple (TGP) is an educational and awareness prevention program that empowers our youth and our community to ‘Go Purple’ as a sign of taking a stand against substance abuse. The purpose of the program is to promote the ‘new conversation’ – one that includes prescription drugs, alcohol, marijuana and e-cigarettes. TGP focuses on educating students about the dangers of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs, and works toward preventing kids from beginning to use these substances in the first place.

An initiative from the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office and Tidewater Rotary, in partnership with Talbot County Public Schools, Saints Peter & Paul School and the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, Talbot Goes Purple empowers our youth and our community to ‘Go Purple’ as a sign of taking a stand against substance abuse.

More information about Talbot Goes Purple is available at www.talbotgoespurple.org. Find us on Facebook @TalbotGoesPurple or contact us at [email protected].

Talbot Goes Purple is a component fund of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization – donations to which are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

Talbot County Sheriff’s deputies will collect unused prescription medications from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 24, at the fire departments in Trappe, St. Michaels and Oxford.

Deputies will have collection sites set up at all three fire departments. Collection includes unwanted medications, vitamins and supplements — vape pens, inhalers, sharps and needles are NOT accepted. This program is anonymous – no questions asked, no identification required. The sites also will include free educational materials along with free disposal and storage solutions, like Deterra bags, from the Talbot County Health Department (TCHD). Beth Williams, prevention consultant with TCHD, will provide free, on-site Narcan trainings at the St. Michaels event for the duration, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

April 24 is National Drug Take-Back Day, an annual collection event sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The DEA also sponsors a collection event each October; last year’s event saw nearly 500 tons of medications collected across more than 4,500 sites – the most collected in the program’s 10-year history.

Unused or expired prescription medications pose a serious public safety issue – proper disposal helps prevent misuse and abuse and helps save lives.

“Overdoses have become the leading cause of accidental deaths in people younger than 50,” said Talbot County Sheriff Joe Gamble. “Many people who start using prescription painkillers recreationally get them from a family member or friend’s medicine cabinet, so proper disposal really makes a difference. Please take advantage of this take back day to keep your family and friends safe!”

Due to the pandemic, masks are required at all collection sites. If you have any symptoms or feel sick, please stay home. You may contact the health department for at-home storage and disposal solutions.

In addition to this year’s take-back day initiative, a permanent, year-round, 24-hour a day, 7-days a week disposal box is located at the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office at 28712 Glebe Road, at the south end of the Talbot County Business Center. Other disposal locations in the county include the Maryland State Police Barrack at 7503 Ocean Gateway in Easton (24 hour). The drop box at Oxford Police Department at 101 Market St. in Oxford is open by appointment only. The drop box at St. Michaels Police Department is currently closed due to the pandemic.

For more information on National Take-Back Day visit www.takebackday.dea.gov.

An initiative from the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office and Tidewater Rotary, in partnership with Talbot County Public Schools, Saints Peter & Paul School and the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, Talbot Goes Purple empowers our youth and our community to ‘Go Purple’ as a sign of taking a stand against substance abuse.

More information about Talbot Goes Purple is available at www.talbotgoespurple.org. Find us on Facebook @TalbotGoesPurple or contact us at [email protected].

Talbot Goes Purple is a component fund of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization – donations to which are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

Talbot Goes Purple has extended the deadline for submissions in its substance use prevention student PSA contest.

The contest originally ran September 1 through October 31 – the deadline is now December 31, in order to hopefully get more students to participate. The contest is open to all Talbot County students and involves the creation of a 30-second video about substance use prevention. The first-place winner will receive a $500 gift card, second place a $300 gift card and $200 for third place. The first-place video will air on local cable television.

“As a business owner in Talbot County, I have seen the devastating effects that substance abuse has had on our families,” said Rodney Spring, owner of Spring & Associates. “At Spring and Associates, we are excited to partner with TGP to involve our youth to help educate other young people about the dangers of substance abuse.”

Spring & Associates has supported TGP since its inception at the purple sponsorship level. This year’s support includes the student PSA project and the virtual screening in September of the latest Chris Herren film, “The First Day.”

Talbot County Sheriff Joe Gamble, Lucie Hughes of Tidewater Rotary, and Rodney Spring, of Spring & Associates will judge the entries.

For information on the contest and on TGP’s student programs, contact [email protected].

Talbot Goes Purple (TGP) is an educational and awareness prevention program that empowers our youth and our community to ‘Go Purple’ as a sign of taking a stand against substance abuse. The purpose of the program is to promote the ‘new conversation’ – one that includes prescription drugs, alcohol, marijuana and e-cigarettes. TGP focuses on educating students about the dangers of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs, and works toward preventing kids from beginning to use these substances in the first place.

An initiative from the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office and Tidewater Rotary, in partnership with Talbot County Public Schools, Saints Peter & Paul School and the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, Talbot Goes Purple empowers our youth and our community to ‘Go Purple’ as a sign of taking a stand against substance abuse.

More information about Talbot Goes Purple is available at www.talbotgoespurple.org. Find us on Facebook @TalbotGoesPurple or contact us at [email protected].

Talbot Goes Purple is a component fund of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization – donations to which are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

Talbot Goes Purple announced this week a student video PSA contest as part of the substance use prevention initiative that starts next month.

The contest runs from Sept. 1 through Oct. 31 and is open to all Talbot County students. The project involves the creation of a 30-second video based upon one of this year’s educational messages. Talbot County Sheriff Joe Gamble, Lucie Hughes of Tidewater Rotary, and Rodney Spring, of Spring & Associates will judge the entries. The first-place video will air on local cable television during the holiday season. The first-place winner will receive a $500 gift card, second place a $300 gift card and $200 for third place.

“As a business owner in Talbot County, I have seen the devastating effects that substance abuse has had on our families,” Spring said. “At Spring and Associates, we are excited to partner with TGP to involve our youth to help educate other young people about the dangers of substance abuse.”

Spring & Associates has supported TGP since its inception at the purple sponsorship level. This year’s support includes the student PSA project and the virtual screening of the latest Chris Herren film, “The First Day,” which is set for 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 8.

Along with the video contest, TGP also has a radio PSA project through a continuing and expanded partnership with 96.7 WCEI and 94.3 WINX-FM. Student ambassadors record a provided educational message as a 30-second PSA that will air during September. The project is open to any student in Talbot County and submissions are due Aug. 28. Participating students also may select a TGP lanyard, set of shoelaces or trucker hat, available for socially distanced pick-up in Easton.

For information on the student programs, contact [email protected].

With schools closed for the foreseeable future, most activities cancelled and many kids stuck at home, substance use prevention remains critically important. While the pandemic poses challenges and prohibits in-person activities, TGP remains committed to finding ways to support our youth in staying drug-free during these unprecedented times.

Talbot Goes Purple (TGP) is an educational and awareness prevention programthat empowers our youth and our community to ‘Go Purple’ as a sign of taking a stand against substance abuse. The purpose of the program is to promote the ‘new conversation’ – one that includes prescription drugs, alcohol, marijuana and e-cigarettes. TGP focuses on educating students about the dangers of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs, and works toward preventing kids from beginning to use these substances in the first place.

An initiative from the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office and Tidewater Rotary, in partnership with Talbot County Public Schools, Saints Peter & Paul School and the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, Talbot Goes Purple empowers our youth and our community to ‘Go Purple’ as a sign of taking a stand against substance abuse.

More information about Talbot Goes Purple is available at www.talbotgoespurple.org. Find us on Facebook @TalbotGoesPurple or contact us at [email protected].

Talbot Goes Purple is a component fund of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization – donations to which are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

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