A Great Big Thank You to all of the following people and agencies must be stated on behalf of the RX/OTC (Prescription and Over-the-Counter) Drug Task Force for their dedication, donation, work, time and effort in making our first ever county wide medication collection event a success.

 More than 200 vehicles passed through the gate and 626 pounds of medication was collected. This included over 170 bottles of controlled substances and more than 40 different types.

Our event was one of the most successful in the region, second only to Ithaca and surpassing Onondaga and Madison counties.

Without the support of community agencies and dedicated individuals, this event would not have been possible.

As a group we are able to say that we achieved an extraordinary accomplishment…getting drugs off the streets. This is no easy task and certainly doesn’t end here, but the role all of these volunteers played in contributing to this event has made a huge impact.

Thank you: Kimberly McRae Friedman, Seven Valleys Council on Alcoholism & Substance Abuse, Inc., Elizabeth, Haskins, Cortland County Area Agency on Aging, Pete, Alteri, Town of Cortlandville, Water/Sewer Superintendent, Jackie, McCloskey, Cortland Community Foundation, Kevin, Whitney, Cortland Regional Training Center, Fire Commissioner, Captain Carl Hart, Cortlandville Fire Department Fire Police, Lori, Mulligan, Family Counseling Services, Jill Pace, Cortland City School District, Harvey Davis, City of Cortland Waste Water Treatment Facility, Shelley Knickerbocker, Cortland Waste Water Treatment Facility, Erica Danega, City of Cortland Youth Bureau, Taylor, Prier, Day of Event Photographer, Barbara Smith, Family Health Network, Derek Witty, AmeriCorps Volunteer, Wayne, Friedman, City of Cortland Fire Department, Jo Ann Wickman, Cortland Area Communities That Care Coalition, Tom Quinn, Cortland Regional Medical Center, Tamara, Lindstrom, YNN, Eric Mulvihill, WXHC Oldies 101.5, Jamar Thrasher, Cortland Standard, Scott, Conroe, Cortland Standard, Jeanette, Dippo, Bruce Martin, Elm Tree Golf Course, Bill Anderson, Anderson's Farm Market, Brooke Knickerbocker, Knickerbocker Family, Mr. & Mrs. Darrel Reakes, Ms. Luann King, Senator Seward's Office, Mr. Robert Messinger, Congressman Arcuri's Office.

Our next event will be held Saturday, September 25^th, 2010. We are looking forward to an even bigger turnout and a larger collection. We look forward to adding to this list of volunteers to keep this momentum going strong.

For more information or to volunteer, please contact Kimberly McRae Friedman, current RX/OTC chair at 756-8970.

Judie Murphy is the CACTC Drug Free Communities Project Coordinator. Judie served as the first RX/OTC Task Force Chairperson through the May 1^st Drug Collection Event.