INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana consumers can dispose of expired or unwanted medications Saturday at no cost during National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.

Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller partnered with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) to remind Hoosiers to drop off any unwanted medications at one of 84 collection sites.

“State and local efforts alone won’t be enough to end Indiana’s prescription drug abuse epidemic,” Zoeller said. “That’s why we are calling on Hoosiers to do their part and safely dispose of their unwanted medications. This can help keep pills off of the streets and out of the wrong hands.”

All sites will operate from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and consumers can find a location nearest them by visiting www.dea.gov or by calling 1.800.882.9539. Expired, unused and unwanted prescription medications and over the counter solid dosage medications such as tablets and capsules will be accepted. Intravenous solutions, needles and illicit substances like marijuana or methamphetamines will not be accepted.

“During the past take-back initiative, Indiana residents turned in 11.5 tons of medication at 83 locations and we hope to surpass that number this time,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Dennis Wichern, who oversees DEA operations in Indiana. “We are urging residents to clear out expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs in the home so that they will be properly disposed of and not be potentially diverted to illicit use and abuse.”

“One in five Hoosier high school students have used prescription drugs found in their home medicine cabinets, like Xanax, Vicodin, and Ritalin, for non-medical reasons,” said ISDH Chief Medical Officer Joan Duwve, M.D. “Many of these drugs were leftover from legal prescriptions written for family members. That’s just one example of why it’s critical to store the medications you need securely, and to dispose of everything else in a safe, environmentally responsible way. Take-back days are a great way to do this.”

Zoeller provided four tips Hoosiers should consider when storing or disposing of unwanted medications:

• Do not keep medications past their expiration date or intended period of use.Young children or pets might ingest medication if they find it which can lead to accidental poisoning. Avoid an accident by keeping unused medications out of your house;
• Avoid throwing medications away in the trash. As the epidemic of prescription drug abuse grows, theft becomes more common. This includes identity theft from the personal information on prescription bottles. Dealers and addicts will even go through your trash;
• Do not flush medications or pour them down the sink. Flushing your unused medication or pouring it down the drain contaminates Indiana’s waterways. This can have devastating results on the fish and aquatic wildlife of these ecosystems; and
• Never give or sell your prescribed medication to others as it is not only misuse, it is illegal. Legally prescribed medication is not permitted to be shared or transferred to others, because many of these drugs have harmful side effects and their use can lead to addiction. Misuse and abuse come with significant risks — including death.

The Indiana Prescription Drug Abuse Task Force is focused on ending the prescription drug abuse epidemic including finding ways to increase availability of disposal sites for unused controlled substances. Duwve, who co-chairs the task force with Zoeller, said members are currently working towards a pilot pharmacy-based take back program.

This year, Zoeller and the task force launched a new website, www.BitterPill.IN.gov, and a statewide public awareness campaign which includes radio and TV commercials about prescription drug abuse. The website serves as a one-stop-shop for consumers to find information about the epidemic and how to get help.

835 Vanderburgh County Middle School Students from 12 schools submitted their original artwork last month with the theme “Keep Evansville Safe” to earn a chance at a spot in the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office Annual Calendar.

Each school saw at least one winner, with those students’ posters and names to appear in the calendar.

Roughly 5,000 of these calendars will begin making their way through the county early next month. These calendars are distributed to the EVSC Middle Schools, Parochial schools, libraries, EPD, VCSO, Media Outlets, YMCA, YWCA and throughout the civic center.

Visit the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office Facebook Page – www.facebook.com/vanderburghCoprosecutorsoffice to see a new winner each day.

For further information on the cases listed above, or any pending case, please contact Kyle Phernetton at 812.435.5688 or via e-mail at KPhernetton@vanderburghgov.org

Annie – Annie is a 1-year-old German shepherd mix. She is lively and full of energy, and she has SUCH a good “sit!” She has had several dog friends here at the VHS, so after an approved meet & greet, she can go home with a family who may already have another dog! Annie is already spayed, so she’s ready to go home with you TODAY! Her adoption fee is $100, which includes not only her spay, but her microchip, vaccinations, and a bag of food.

www.vhslifesaver.org

Office Hours – Friday, October 25
Our office will close at 12:00pm this Friday, October 25 so that our staff can travel to Nashville to participate in the Greater Nashville Race for the Cure on Saturday morning!

Surviving with Style Show – November 5
This year’s Style Show will be held on Tuesday, November 5th.  Tickets are $25 and can be purchased by calling the Affiliate office at 812.962.2202.

Pink the Rink Date Announced – January 25
Pink the Rink with the Evansville Icemen will be held at 7:15pm on Saturday, January 25, 2014.  Save the Date!

Theatre for the Cure – January 17, 18 & 19
CAST (Comunity Artists & Stage Troupe) in affiliate with Komen Evansville is proud to announce our first ever Theatre for the Cure!  Join us for
a family-friendly comedy in two, Flowers for Jonetta.  They play will be performed at 7pm on Friday, January 17 & Saturday, January 18 and at 2pm on Sunday, January 19 at the new North High School Auditorium.  Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased at the Affiliate office or from a CAST member.

Energizing Indiana partners with Evansville Tri-State Affiliate for donation!
Sign up for a FREE energy assessment of your home by using the special link below and our Komen Affiliate will receive $25!  Help yourself and help Komen too!   Click here to sign up.

Ongoing Activities

Passionately Pink for the Cure

Rally for the Cure

Volunteer Opportunities
There are currently no Volunteer Opportunities.

Educational Opportunities
There are currently no Educational Opportunities.

News From National

Did you know…
Early detection and effective treatment have resulted in a 34 percent decline in breast cancer mortality in the U.S. since 1990!

Thompkins Middle School to Host Pumpkin Carving Contest

Thursday, Oct. 24

2:45 – 4 p.m.

Thompkins Middle School, 1300 W. Mill Rd.

Around the world, more than one billion pumpkins will be carved this year during Halloween and students at Thompkins Middle School are once again getting in the fun as they participate in the school’s annual Pumpkin Carving Contest. Approximately 60 teams of students will carve, decorate and paint their pumpkin tomorrow after school from 2:45 to 4 p.m. Students will be vying for first place in the following categories: weirdest pumpkin, strangest pumpkin and the scariest pumpkin.

WARRICK COUNTY, Ind.  As the Indiana University School of Medicine and its partners carefully examine the Southwest Indiana region for the new Academic Health Science Education & Research Center, Warrick County officials are confident that the Warrick Wellness Trail will emerge as the ideal location.

The new campus, a joint effort between the IU School of Medicine-Evansville, Ivy Tech Community College, the University of Evansville, the University of Southern Indiana, Deaconess Health System, Jasper Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center, Owensboro Medical Health System and St. Mary’s Medical Center is expected to serve thousands of area students preparing for careers in medical and associated fields.

Preliminary planning suggests that the campus, on the site of the original Allen Homeplace Farms and Schnapf Family property, will require at least 150,000 square feet of classroom laboratory, office and related space, with extensive parking for faculty, staff, students and volunteers. Those requirements alone give Warrick Wellness Trail a significant advantage, suggests Don Williams, President of the Warrick County Commissioners. “Warrick Wellness Trail was designed specifically to serve the healthcare needs of our area’s growing and aging population,” Williams says. “It offers extensive acreage that’s already approved and cleared for development, more than enough infrastructure to support the campus and excellent transportation access for the million residents in the Tri-State area.”

Warrick Wellness Trail is already home to Deaconess Gateway Hospital, the new St. Mary’s Epworth Crossing, medical offices, and senior care and skilled living facilities. It provides excellent transportation access for the entire area, with its location just off Interstate 164, at the intersection of Epworth and Lynch Roads, near the six-lane Lloyd Expressway (SR66), just minutes from Interstates 64 and 69, U.S. 41 and State Roads 61, 261 and 62. The site is also convenient for faculty, staff, students and volunteers needing quick access to the campus.

“One of the most important considerations is that the 75-acre Warrick Wellness Trail site has clear title and is shovel-ready,” adds Larry Taylor, Executive Director of Success Warrick County, the county’s economic development office. “That means the phase one environmental study has already been completed, and we wouldn’t need to condemn and demolish any existing buildings, so development could proceed much more quickly.” Warrick County government leaders are supportive of the project. Taylor points to several other advantages of the Warrick Wellness Trail site:

– The new education site could occupy a sprawling campus with numerous buildings and shared assets designed to provide an attractive and efficient learning environment.

– The 75-acre campus site at Warrick Wellness Trail offers abundant space for surface parking, which costs far less to develop than multi-story parking structures.

– There is already a master plan in place for the area, incorporating extensive green space, a beautiful greenway trail system, and space designated for other future medical-related businesses attracted to the area.

– The community surrounding Warrick Wellness Trail is thriving, expanding, self-sustaining and fiscally stable, making it less susceptible to economic fluctuations.

– The proposed site is located in an existing TIF (Tax Increment Financing) district, simplifying funding for any additional infrastructure.

– Crime rates in the area are extremely low and the area features excellent lighting.

– The site offers the participating colleges and universities space for future growth, as well as acreage for complementary facilities such as restaurants and retail stores, creating a sense of community where faculty, staff, students and volunteers can connect.

“We’re eager to respond to the request for proposal that’s expected within the next few weeks, because we believe that Warrick Wellness Trail offers the complete package, serving the needs of all of the participating institutions,” Taylor adds.