Talbot Declares Independence from Substance Abuse

Talbot Declares Independence from Substance Abuse

Towns support Talbot Goes Purple with purple fireworks displays

 The towns of Easton, Oxford and St. Michaels are including purple fireworks this Independence Day for Talbot Goes Purple, a new program aimed at combatting substance abuse in our community.

The purple fireworks are part of Talbot Goes Purple, an initiative from the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office and Tidewater Rotary that empowers our youth and our community to ‘Go Purple’ as a sign of taking a stand against substance abuse. Anyone who wishes to support the project should wear purple at the Independence Day celebrations.

Talbot Goes Purple promotes education and awareness, including the creation of purple clubs in our high schools, through which students learn that they do not need drugs or alcohol to meet life’s challenges. The project also encourages the ‘new conversation’ between teens and parents, one that includes messages that prescription painkillers aren’t safe to use recreationally.

“We preach to our kids not to text and drive, not to drink and drive – but not many people talk about the dangers of prescription painkillers,” said Talbot County Sheriff Joe Gamble. “We’re in the middle of the deadliest drug epidemic in our history – and much of our heroin problem is driven by pill use. Talbot Goes Purple helps start a new conversation about this, while empowering our kids to make good choices.”

Talbot Goes Purple is based upon THP Project Purple, an initiative of the Herren Project that helps people struggling with drug dependencies. Former NBA player Chris Herren founded both projects after speaking to a high school about his struggles with drug dependency.

Herren is coming to Talbot County for a community event at 7 p.m. Sept. 19 at Easton High School, with two in-school assemblies also set for all county students grades 8 through 12. Leading up to Herren’s visit and throughout September, local businesses and communities will ‘Go Purple’ as a show of support and solidarity in addressing our substance abuse program.

“We are so excited to support this very important – indeed, critical – project in our community,” said Lucie Hughes, president of Tidewater Rotary. “Rotarians work hard to change lives in our communities, and this project will do just that.”

Talbot Goes Purple is in partnership with Talbot County Public Schools, Mid-Shore Community Foundation and Talbot Partnership. Generous support for the project at the ‘purple’ level includes: Mariah’s Mission Fund; Aqua Pools & Spas and The Car Pool; St. John’s Foundation; Bryan Brother’s Foundation; Spring & Associations; West & Callahan; and the Michael & Nancy Klein Foundation.

More information is available at www.talbotgoespurple.org. Find on Facebook @TalbotGoesPurple or contact via email talbotgoespurple@gmail.com.  Anyone wearing purple is encouraged to post pictures and tag us on Facebook.

All support is tax-deductible and made through the Mid-ShoreCommunity Foundation.

“We’d like to give a thank-you to Al Bond at the Avalon Foundation; Ted Doyle and the St. Michael’s Fireworks Committee and Vicky Van Loo at Tred Avon Yacht Club for supporting our project,” said Hughes. “Their generosity helps kick-off this project and shows that the towns support our youth in taking a stand against substance abuse.”

Fireworks this year are scheduled as follows: Easton - Tuesday, July 4; St. Michaels - Saturday July 1; Oxford - Monday, July 3. Please check with each respective town for additional information on scheduled activities and rain dates.

Media Contact:

Kelley Callaghan

410.934.7537