Local Business Leader Ensures Support for South Central Region

Coffee County Anti-Drug Coalition (CCADC) received a $20,000 donation from Motiva, Shell Oil’s marketing organization, to support continuing efforts to prevent prescription drug abuse throughout the South Central region of Tennessee through the organization’s Count It! Lock It! Drop It!® initiative.

Jonathan Edwards, CEO of Edwards Oil Company, owner of 39 Quik Mart Convenience Stores throughout southern-middle Tennessee and northwest Alabama and member of the Shell National Wholesale Council, presented the Coalition with the generous contribution.

“Shell chose to support the National Wholesale Council members, of which I am one, this year by awarding grants directly to local organizations doing significant work in fighting substance abuse” explained Edwards.

Monies will be used by counties implementing Count It! Lock It! Drop It!® (CLD) to purchase and distribute in-home lock boxes free of charge to community members. This will be instrumental in helping to keep medications secure in households throughout the region.

This opportunity to support several counties was made possible by coalition partnerships in the region. Lawrence County Substance Abuse Coalition coordinated with Edwards and State Representative Barry Doss, whose passion is tackling prescription drug abuse in District 70 (Lawrence and Giles County), to identify a worthy recipient organization that could help the entire South Central Region.

CCADC was then invited to submit information on how funds would be used to support the community. “We are grateful to all partners that assisted in facilitating this important donation of funds to expand our prevention program” stated Christina Merino, Executive Director of the Coffee County Anti-Drug Coalition. The Coalition will begin distributing lock boxes to Count It! Lock It! Drop It!® (CLD) communities this Spring.

Lawrence County Substance Abuse Coalition(LCSAC) will be one of the counties to receive in-home medication lock boxes. “We are blessed to have regional partners and mentors such as Coffee County that have well established prevention coalitions in their community and can share regional campaigns such as Count It! Lock It! Drop It!® initiative,” said Jenny Golden, Director of LCSAC.

“We know that 70% of people in Tennessee who report misusing prescription drugs get them from friends or family either by sharing or stealing. This initiative helps community members do their part to protect potentially addictive prescriptions from being shared or stolen.”

Remember to COUNT your medications every two weeks to make sure none are missing, LOCK them up and put them in a place that is safe and DROP unused/expired medications at the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department or the Ethridge Police Department.

These are currently the only two locations in Lawrence County that have Medication Drop boxes. LCSAC is working to increase the number of permanent Medication Disposal locations in Lawrence County.

Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 29 for the DEA National Rx Take Back day. Locations to drop off unused/expired medications will be set up at WLX Country Café (1212 North Locust), Fred’s Pharmacy (534 N Military St #1) in Loretto and Ethridge Police Department (210 Depot St) from 10 a.m. – 2p.m. that day. No syringes or liquids will be accepted.

For more information on how to receive a free in-home medication lock box, contact the Lawrence County Substance Abuse Coalition at (931) 244-5533 or LCSACoalition@gmail.com.