The fifth annual Kent Goes Purple 5K Color Run/Walk and Purple Jamboree is set for 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 10 in Wilmer Park.
Kent Goes Purple (KGP) is a substance abuse awareness and prevention initiative of the Kent County Sheriff’s Office and the Chestertown Rotary Club, in partnership with Kent County Behavioral Health Prevention Office, that empowers our youth and our community to ‘Go Purple’ as a sign of taking a stand against substance abuse. This is year six for the initiative, and the fifth color run.
The color run starts at 8:30 a.m. at Wilmer Park in Chestertown and is directly followed with a Purple Jamboree, from 10 a.m. until noon. The jamboree includes music, family fun and entertainment, food from Phat Daddy’s BBQ and children’s activities with Willy Woo Woo!
Registration is available online at www.KentGoesPurple.org and is $20 for adults, free for anyone 18 and younger. Day-of registration is $30 for adults and $10 for anyone 18 and younger, and starts at 7:30 a.m.
The first 250 participants receive a commemorative shirt and color packet. Free waters also will be available thanks to Chestertown Elks.
Andy Meehan with the Chestertown Rotary Club also encourages people to get involved with the project.
“The Chestertown Rotary Club is proud to be a part of Kent Goes Purple and to engage our community to stand up against substance abuse and to increase awareness about the allure and stranglehold that opioids present,” said Meehan. “We need to have candid conversations with our family members, friends, and colleagues about the alarming facts about the opioid crisis. That is what Kent Goes Purple is all about – to motivate people to ask questions and to learn more about the dangers of substance abuse, and to provide information about pertinent resources and assistance.”
This year’s Kent Goes Purple initiative includes daily educational messages, which the community can share from the KGP Facebook page. These messages are intended to educate and encourage conversations about substance use prevention. Other ways to get involve include getting trained on Narcan; learning about the Good Samaritan Law; and learning about medication storage and disposal.
The community can again display purple lights and gear throughout the month as a show of taking a stand against substance abuse.
Kent Goes Purple is an initiative of the Kent County Sheriff’s Office and the Chestertown Rotary Club, in partnership with Kent County Behavioral Health Prevention Office. Get more information at www.KentGoesPurple.org and on Facebook @kentgoespurple.
Kent 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.
Sarah Lyle says
Awareness and prevention education are necessary and good. What is even more desperately needed is funding for addiction treatment, rehabilitation, mental/behavioral health counseling and things like job training for people in recovery.