Partnership offers prevention-based events

October is National Substance Abuse Prevention Month and to mark the occasion, Partnership Douglas County is participating in several prevention-based community events.

Partnership and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office host a Prescription Drug Roundup 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at the Judicial & Law Enforcement Center, 1038 Buckeye Road in Minden.

Unused or expired over-the-counter pills and vitamins; prescription liquids, pills, and patches; medication samples, and pet medications can be brought to any participating collection site. Items should be left in their original container with any identifying information marked out. Needles, Epipens, aerosol cans, inhalers, hydrogen peroxide, ointments, and other liquids will not be accepted.

Prescription Drug Roundup events take place each April and October. Offering the opportunity to dispose of medications in a secure and effective manner helps promote safer and healthier communities.

In addition the prescription roundup events, other safe-disposal options are at-home disposal kits and year-round drop-off sites. At-home drug disposal kits are available at the following locations:

• Partnership Douglas County, 1625 Hwy 88, Suite 104 in Minden

• Smith’s Pharmacy, 1341 Hwy 395 N in Gardnerville

• Safeway, 212 Elks Point Road in Zephyr Cove

Local locations for year round drop box disposal are:

• Carson Valley Community Food Closet, 1251 Waterloo Lane in Gardnerville

• Carson Valley Health Emergency Department, 1107 Hwy 395 N in Gardnerville

• DCSO, 1038 Buckeye Road in Minden

• Friends in Service Helping, 921 Mitch Drive in the Gardnerville Ranchos

• Lake Tahoe Law Enforcement Building, 175 Highway 50 in Stateline

Dining with a cause during Red Ribbon Week

Red Ribbon Week, the nation’s largest and longest-running drug-use prevention campaign, takes place each year from Oct. 23-31. The Red Ribbon organization’s awareness and advocacy efforts combine with resource connections to support families and communities in nurturing the potential of healthy, drug-free youth (www.redribbon.org/).

The 2024 Red Ribbon Week theme is, “Life is a Movie, Film Drug Free,” and serves a reminder that “ordinary Americans nationwide contribute to their communities every day by embracing a drug-free lifestyle.”

Trunk or Treat on Halloween

Also in collaboration with Sheriff’s Office, the Partnership and the Sheriff’s Explorer’s Post 2105 host a Trunk or Treat Halloween celebration in the DCSO parking lot 3-8 p.m. Oct. 31.

The afternoon-into-evening festivities invite the community to enjoy music, games, and holiday fun. This free event is supported by local businesses, organizations, and agencies and is alcohol- and drug-free to ensure a safe and fun environment for everyone.

For more information about these events, visit www.pdcnv.org/news-info/.

Head outside to see the October moon

Just before 6 p.m. this evening, the Moon will be at perigee, which is its closet point to Earth for this orbit. It’s also the third in a series of four super moons and is expected to be the brightest of the lot.

Though it won’t reach peak fullness until just about 4:30 a.m. Thursday morning, it could still be a spectacular sight. Fingers crossed for clear skies.

Amy Roby can be reached at ranchosroundup@hotmail.com.