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| Dispose-A-Med flyer, Oro Valley, AZ. |
The Optimist Club provides outreach and community awareness for the Dispose-A-Med project that is coordinated by the Oro Valley Police Department, in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Other community partners include the SOBER Project, Meth Free Alliance, Fire and Wastewater Districts of Oro Valley. They invite private citizens, schools and businesses to participate too.
It's a simple project: Bring your unused or expired prescription and over the counter medications and we will dispose of them properly. ("We" refers to the law enforcement agency.)
The Oro Valley Optimist Club hosts the drop-off station on many scheduled and advertised dates during the year. They also offer free blood pressure screening and pharmacists and student pharmacists are on hand to answer any prescription questions that participants may have.
Law enforcement agencies are holding Dispose-A-Med programs across the country. The Optimist Club involvement helps generate more awareness for potential dangers to children, like "pharm parties" where the price of entry is something from your home's medicine cabinet. Kids find and share prescription drugs that they find for free at home.
The project also allows opportunities to partner with law enforcement in keeping our children safe and encouraging respect for law.
During the 2011 Optimist International Convention the Board of Directors heard from Don Cox and Oro Valley police Sgt. Amy Sloane about the Oro Valley Dispose-A-Med program. The Board referred the program to the Programs Committee for further review.
*Optimist Clubs are autonomous and can perform projects that they feel are needed in their community. Some projects, like the Optimist Oratorical and Essay Contests, receive support from Optimist International. If this program is adopted, such support would be provided to all clubs.
