Talbot County, Maryland

08/08/2024

Category: Sheriff Department

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Cutline: Talbot County Sheriff Joe Gamble, far right; Major Steve Elliott, second to right, and DFC William Barnett, far left, stand with Easton Elks Exalted Ruler Mel Newell as he presents a donation from Easton Elks Lodge #1622.

Press release provided by Talbot County Sheriff's Office.

Easton Elks Lodge #1622 recently donated $2,000 to Talbot Goes Purple for youth substance use prevention efforts across Talbot County.

Now in its eighth year, Talbot Goes Purple (TGP) is a substance use 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.

Easton Elks has long supported the program, and this year’s donation will help sustain efforts with local youth, including in-school clubs and activities.

“Easton Elks is happy to support Talbot Goes Purple and the efforts to educate our children and families about substance abuse,” said Easton Elks Exalted Ruler Mel Newell. Newell presented the donation to Talbot County Sheriff Joe Gamble this week.

Gamble started TGP in 2016 after realizing the need for education on the risks of prescription painkillers, the path to addiction, and key prevention tools. Since then, going purple has spread to more than half of the counties in Maryland, and into several states.

“Last year we had the first decline in overdoses in Maryland since 2018,” said Gamble. While this is good news, synthetic opioids – specifically, fentanyl, continues to drive overdoses and deaths, with overdose deaths for 10 to 19-year-olds more than doubling since the start of the pandemic.

 “We have to continue educating young people about the realities of substance use,” said Gamble. “Fentanyl is in most of the counterfeit pills that young people get online, and we have to get out the message that one pill can kill.”

As TGP heads into September, which is ‘go purple’ month, the community can display purple lights and gear starting Sept. 1 and throughout the month as a show of taking a stand against substance abuse. More information is available at www.talbotgoespurple.org or at talbotgoespurple@gmail.com. Find TGP on Facebook @TalbotGoesPurple.

Talbot Goes Purple is in partnership with Talbot County Public Schools, Saints Peter and Paul Schools, and Mid-Shore Community Foundation. 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 sheriffs office