Pride Committee Takes to Air Urging Awareness of Link from Rx Drugs to Heroin

SEA ISLE CITY – The PRIDE Committee, founded by the Sea Isle City School Board, flies an aerial message to create awareness of the link between prescription drug use and heroin addiction. 
The banner was flown over beaches from Cape May to Ocean City  Aug. 10. To fly the banner, donations were provided by Red Hat Wizards of Cape May County and the owner of Paramount Air, Barbara Tomalino, according to a release.
“The committee wanted to reach young people and their families and decided that the beach would be an effective way to reach a large number of families,” stated Dan Tumelo, Sea Isle City School Board president and a member of the PRIDE committee. “Children and young adults need to know the dire consequences of prescription drug abuse and the tragic results,” he added.
“Most people don’t realize that many heroin addicts start experimenting with prescription painkillers that they find in their medicine cabinets,” stated Kim Mounce, senior coalition coordinator department head of Community Initiatives at Cape Assist and PRIDE Committee member. “When the prescriptions run out or become too expensive, they may turn to heroin as a cheap and available alternative,” Mounce stated.
The PRIDE Committee has been very proactive in educating the public and the community on the dangers of substance abuse. At the start of the school year, it distributes an information card with a list of community resources available to children in Kindergarten through 12th grade in Cape May County schools as part of their Back to School, Backpack flyer initiative.
Those knowing anyone who needs help, call 609-522-5960.
To donate or for information, visit capeassist.org, call (609) 522-5960 or on Facebook.
The PRIDE Committee: Sea Isle City School Board founded and funded the Cape May County PRIDE Committee with a mission to create awareness and educate the community and school educators about the dangers of prescription drugs. Committee members include members of the Sea Isle City School Board, the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office, the Cape May County Office of Education, the County Department of Human Services, Cape Assist and County Educators. The Sea Isle City School Board funds all the committee initiatives.