Stand Up Against Substance Abuse this September ‘Go Purple’ with Talbot Goes Purple

EASTON – Talbot County Sheriff Joe Gamble and Tidewater Rotary invite everyone to attend a kick-off for Talbot Goes Purple in Easton on September 4.

Talbot Goes Purple is an awareness and educational prevention program that empowers our youth and our community to ‘Go Purple’ as a sign of taking a stand against substance abuse. The initiative includes purple clubs in our middle and high schools through which students learn they do not need drugs or alcohol to meet life’s challenges. The purpose of the project is to promote the ‘new conversation’ – one that includes prescription drugs, alcohol, marijuana and e-cigarettes.

This is year three for the initiative, and the community can again display purple lights and gear starting September 1, 2019 and throughout the month as a show of taking a stand against substance abuse.

“We’ve made great progress having the ‘new conversation’ and educating our kids and families about the Good Samaritan Law and Narcan,” said Talbot County Sheriff Joe Gamble. “Preliminary data for 2018 shows a decrease in opioid overdose deaths for the first time in 10 years, but we need to keep talking about drug use in our kids, including e-cigs, marijuana and alcohol.”

To kick off this year’s initiative, the public is invited to a trio of events on the evening of September 4, 2019

Last year a Colorado-based company filmed a documentary on Talbot Goes Purple, titled ‘The American Opioid Crisis: Talbot Goes Purple.” The film will premiere at the Avalon Theatre in Easton on Sept. 4. Doors open at 6 p.m.; the 45-minute film will start at 6:30 p.m. That event is free, with seating available on a first-come basis.

Immediately following the film, the community also is invited to the kick-off and lighting ceremony, set for 7:30 p.m. Sept. 4 at the Talbot County Courthouse. Right after the ceremony at about 8 p.m. please join Talbot Goes Purple, Recovery for Shore and Mariah’s Mission Fund for a walk of solidarity and support for recovery. The walk will start at the courthouse, go up Goldsborough Street, down Harrison to Dover and conclude at the courthouse. Please wear purple!

For purple gear, visit our online store at www.TalbotGoesPurple.org. Get your lights on our website or at ED Supply in Easton – and turn them on starting Sept. 1 and throughout the month.

More information is available at www.talbotgoespurple.org. Find us on Facebook @TalbotGoesPurpleor contact us at talbotgoespurple@gmail.com.

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Talbot Goes Purple is in partnership with Talbot County Public Schools and Mid-Shore Community Foundation. Generous support for the project at the ‘purple’ level this year includes: Easton Utilities; Michael Marcell Memorial Fund; Star Democrat/APG Media; and Spring & Associates.

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.