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Drug Take Back
Romeo Blackmar, program director for Prevention Hale YMCA Youth and Family Center, left, and Putnam Police Sgt. Kevin Cardonne manned the Drug Take Back effort. Linda Lemmon photo.
Drug Take Back
beats goal again
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — The Putnam Police Department and the program for prevention at the Hale YMCA Youth and Family Center definitely hit the goal of collecting more than 100 pounds of prescription drugs in the National Prescription Drug Take Back effort Oct. 29.
The Putnam Police Department said about 150 pounds was collected. Romeo Blackmar, program director for Prevention at the Hale Y, said they usually hit the goal — with the exception of the October when a blizzard hit.
The collection, a drive through, is done twice a year at the Farmers Market parking lot off Kennedy Drive. In addition, there is a bin in the lobby of the Putnam Police Department where unused prescription drugs can be dropped off, no questions asked, 24/7/365.
While many people drive through and silently drop off unused/unwanted prescription drugs, often Blackmar and Police Sgt. Kevin Cardonne see how emotional a “simple” drop-off can be. Often, the reason for the drop off is that a loved one has died. The cancer-fighting drugs, the painkillers and more are no longer needed. A family member might speak about their passed loved one as the drugs drop into the box. It’s a passage for those grieving.
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