Collecting unneeded drugs in Woodmere

As part of its Lock Inventory Dispose campaign, the Saving Lives Five Towns Drug and Alcohol Coalition hosted a prescription drug take back day outside the Hatzalah garage on West Broadway in Woodmere on Oct. 24.

The Sunday was the second day of what is known as Red Ribbon Week, an annual event Oct. 23 to 31, when more than 80 million young people and adults nationwide show their dedication to a healthy drug-free lifestyle by displaying a red ribbon.

It began as a memorial in 1985 to Drug Enforcement Agent Enrique “Kiki” S. Camarena who was first kidnapped in Mexico and then murdered. Initially launched as Camarena Clubs by Camarena friend Henry Lozano it subsequently became an official national campaign in 1988.

“The drug take back day is usually done on Saturday, we’re doing it on Sunday to accommodate the Five Towns community,” said Susan Blauner, the director of Saving Lives, noting the high proportion of observant Jewish people in the area.

As vehicles pulled into the outside garage area or people even walked in, they dropped off the unneeded prescription medications, injectables and sharpies. Northwell Health and Tempo Group, partners in the coalition, had tables set up with information and promotional giveaways at the event as did Saving Lives.

The LID campaign encourages people to lock the medications they need, inventory what they have and dispose of what they don’t need or that have expired.

The coalition began the LID campaign earlier this month and has permanent drop off stations at the CVS at 128 Washington Ave. in Cedarhurst, at the CVS at 44 North Central Ave. in Valley Stream, at the Nassau County Police 4th Precinct, at 1699 Broadway in Hewlett and at Long Island Jewish Valley Stream/Northwell Health, at 900 Franklin Ave. in Valley Stream.

The coalition began in 2019 and operates under the auspices of the Marion & Aaron Gural JCC, the UJA Federation and the Mazer Family Fund. It was an awarded a five-year, $125,000 grant from the federal Department of Health and Human Services last year.

It is made up of community leaders from business, education, government, health care and law enforcement as well as parents and young people with knowledge of substance abuse.

“It’s more than two years and it’s more than we were expecting,” said Gural JCC Chief Executive Officer Aaron Rosenfeld said. “It’s really making a difference and helping to save lives.”

Blauner said 73 pounds of unneeded meds were collected at the take back day that could become an annual or semi-annual event, she said. “It really hit home, people were blessing us, thanking us,” Blauner said. “People said that they had their parents [who died] medications and didn’t know what to do with it.”

The coalition will continue its ant-drug work, she said and is also focusing on youth, mental health and as the holiday season begins awareness of the dangers of alcohol will be stressed, Blauner said.

For more information, go to https://www.savinglives5townscoalition.org/.