Tri-County Kickoff provides education on substance misuse, aims to shatter stigma around addiction

SALISBURY, Md.-  The Arthur Perdue Stadium got a splash of purple Saturday afternoon, as the Tri-County Go Purple kick off event made a return just before a Delmarva Shorebirds game.

The event is the start of the Goes Purple Awareness campaign.

It’s all about educating the community on the dangers of substance misuse and shattering the stigma around addiction.

Last year was the first year Wicomico, Worcester, and Somerset counties joined forces.

Organizers say the partnership has allowed them to expand their reach in hopes to save more lives. “We feel like we can reach more people when we link arms and join together and do it as a team,” Wicomico County Opioid Coordinator Christina Bowie-Simpson said.

“So it’s now more important than ever to come out and raise awareness and really provide not just education to individuals but to let people know that are struggle with addiction that there is help available and that there are resources.”

Bowie-Simpson tells 47ABC that back in 2020 Wicomico County lost 47 individuals to an overdose. The 2021 data is not available as of now.

The Tri-County Goes Purple Campaign runs throughout September which is National Recovery Month.

To find out more about the events throughout the month, click here