The B.O.L.D. (Building Our Lives Drug-free) Coalition on April 30, 2011 for the second national prescription medication take-back event. Sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA of US Dept. of Justice), the Fall River Police Department, Stanley Street Treatment and Resources, the B.O.L.D. Coalition, and Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals, the event was a collaborative effort to remove potentially dangerous controlled substances from household medicine cabinets. The National Take-Back Day gave anyone who wanted to the opportunity to turn in expired, unwanted or unused prescription medications for safe disposal. Ten dollar gift certificates were given out to the first 200 contributors. Such medications are often taken by young people who are unaware of the risks of potential serious harm that they pose. The program was anonymous and open to anyone regardless of residence. "This event gives everyone an opportunity to properly dispose of potentially dangerous medications," noted BOLD Coalition Director Craig Gaspard. BOLD is interested in getting all types of medication out of the hands of young people. Click here for a similar event that BOLD sponsored last year. For more information, call Mr. Gaspard at 508-324-3537 or Ms. Lagasse at 508-324-2415. (Photos courtesy of Maureen Brisson)
 

(Top row, left) BOLD executive director Craig Gaspard (Top row, center) John and Pat Almeida volunteer their time to assist with the project. (Top row, right) Carol Correia looks through some of the gathered medications. (Middle row, left) Peter Mechado assists with bundling the gathered medications. (Middle row, right) Tom Soares assists with the effort. (Bottom row, left) DEA officer Manuel Bernardo and David LaFleur of the Fall River Police Department bundle boxes of prescription medication from the Jewish Home in Fall River for shipment. (Bottom row, right) By noon, two large bags of medications had been turned in.