The public was invited to bring their unused prescription medications for safe disposal to the B.O.L.D. (Building Our Lives Drug-free) national prescription medication take-back event on April 28, 2012. The National Take-Back Day event enabled 101 people to exchange medications for a $10 Stop & Shop gift card at the First Congregational Church on Rock Street. Over 90 pounds of medications were turned in from 110 families, not all of whom took the gift certificates. 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. 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 easy way to properly dispose of potentially dangerous medications," noted BOLD Youth Program Director Mike Aguiar. 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 BOLD Staff Director Craig Gaspard at 508-324-3537 or Mike Aguiar at 508-324-3598.
 

(Top row, left and center) BOLD Volunteer Coordinator Maureen Brisson greets Angela Stankiewicz at the door of the First Congreational Church where the Prescription Drug Take-Back event was held. (Top row, right) Fall River Health and Human Services Director Dr. Henry Vaillancourt talks with the Drug Enforcement Agency police member who was in charge of disposing of the medications. (Middle row) Howie Galitsky brings his unused prescription medications to the Church where he was able to place them in one of the Take-Back boxes. (Bottom row, left and center) Manuel Aguiar disposes of his medications and then receives a $10 gift card from BOLD Administrative and Communications Assistant Annie-Alice Scaduto. (Bottom row, right) BOLD Youth Program Director points out some of the literature that was available to volunteers Kristina Davie and Kerrie Arruda.