Kent Goes Purple 5K Color Run/Walk and Purple Jamboree set for September 12, 2021

Third time for event, reduced registration this year

CHESTERTOWN – The third Kent Goes Purple 5K Color Run/Walk and Purple Jamboree is set for 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, September 12, 2021 in Wilmer Park.

Kent Goes Purple (KGP) is a substance abuse awareness and prevention initiative from Kent County Sheriff’s Office and Chestertown Rotary Club, that empowers our youth and our community to ‘Go Purple’ as a sign of taking a stand against substance abuse. This is year four for the initiative, and year three for the color run. Last year’s run/walk did not happen due to the pandemic.

The color run starts at 8:30 a.m. at Wilmer Park in Chestertown and is directly followed with a Purple Jamboree, from 10 a.m. until noon. The jamboree includes music, family fun and entertainment, free food from Phat Daddy’s BBQ and children’s activities with Willy Woo Woo!

Registration is available online at www.KentGoesPurple.org and is free for children 12 and under. Registration for 13 and over, is $10 – much less than the cost in 2019, thanks to support from Kent County Behavioral Health (KCBH) Prevention Office. Day-of registration is $20 and starts at 7:30 a.m.

The first 250 participants receive a commemorative shirt plus color packet, plus a purple drawstring bag with lots of fun goodies, including collapsible silicone water bottles. Free waters also will be available thanks to Chestertown Elks, and a limited supply of free purple shirts also will be on hand.

“Kent County prevention is excited to be able to sponsor the color run this year so that more of our families can participate,” said Annette Duckery, alcohol and other drugs prevention coordinator for KCBH. “The more community members that can come out, the better. Our theme this year is raising awareness together — the more we can bring people together, the stronger message we can send that Kent County stands together against substance abuse.”

This year’s Kent Goes Purple initiative includes daily educational messages, which the community can share from the KGP Facebook page. These messages are intended to educate and encourage conversations about substance use prevention. Other ways to get involve include getting trained on Narcan; learning about the Good Samaritan Law; and learning about medication storage and disposal.

The community can again display purple lights and gear throughout the month as a show of taking a stand against substance abuse. Lights are available at JBK Hardware in Chestertown and Village Hardware in Rock Hall. KGP also has free, 5” by 5” vehicle stickers available.

Vendor and volunteer registration forms for the color run and jamboree are available online at www.KentGoesPurple.org.

Kent Goes Purple is an initiative of the Kent County Sheriff’s Office and Chestertown Rotary Club, in partnership with Kent County Behavioral Health Prevention Office. Get more information at www.KentGoesPurple.org and on Facebook @kentgoespurple.

###
Kent Goes Purple is a component fund of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization – donations to which are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.