The inaugural Tri-County Prevention Walk is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 13 at Church Hill Park in Church Hill and supports efforts at keeping our communities drug- and alcohol-free.

The free walk is a collaborative effort from the prevention offices of Caroline, Kent and Queen Anne’s counties with the theme, “Making a difference – one step at a time.”

“This walk is for anyone who’s had drugs or alcohol affect their lives,” said Annette Duckery, prevention coordinator for Kent County. “We’re working hard to prevent drug use and alcohol abuse in our communities and this offers everyone the chance to support our efforts.”

The event includes fun for the entire family, with a live DJ, free backpacks, snacks and games, including corn hole. Registration is available online at Eventbrite.

The walk coincides with National Prevention Week, which is an annual health observance dedicated to increasing public awareness of, and action around, mental and/or substance use disorders. This year’s prevention week is May 14 through May 20.

“National Prevention Week offers the perfect opportunity to show our solidarity in the fight against substance use disorders,” said Iris Carter, prevention coordinator for Queen Anne’s County. “With several overdoses in our area each week, we’ve got to come together and support prevention efforts across our region.”

Prevention efforts start young and can help keep drug use from starting.

“We all can invest in drug and alcohol prevention,” said Melanie Rodriguez, prevention coordinator for Caroline County. “Prevention really IS the best treatment.”

For more information on the walk, contact Annette Duckery at 410-778-7918 for Kent County; Iris Carter at 410-758-1306 ext. 4524 in Queen Anne’s and Melanie Rodriguez at 410-479-8164 in Caroline.

The Tri-County Prevention Walk is a collaboration between the health department prevention offices of Caroline, Kent and Queen Anne’s counties and supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Maryland Behavioral Health Administration.