Mark your calendars! MDC has several events this week open to the community:

On Tuesday, June 21, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy will be coming to Knoxville to speak with community leaders and visit Behavioral Health Group to discuss the opioid epidemic. This event is a part of a tour that Dr. Murthy has been doing in various cities across the country. On Tuesday, June 21 from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. there will be a Community Town Hall at the Knox County Health Department – 140 Dameron Ave. Dr. Murthy will be discussing the opioid epidemic as well as various other health topics facing our nation. A portion of the Town Hall will be allotted for questions from the audience. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., so come early to reserve your seat!

MDC will be hosting our first faith-based luncheon on Thursday, June 23 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at the South Knoxville Community Center. Church leaders from the South Knoxville region will become educated about MDC, the work that we are doing in the community and the scope of the substance abuse epidemic in East Tennessee. In addition, church leaders will be able to collaborate with each other about what they have done and what they can continue to do with their congregations moving forward. Next quarter, we will be hosting a faith-based luncheon for East Knoxville church leaders. For questions or more information, contact Aly Taylor at ataylor@metrodrug.org.

If you missed out on our last medication collection event, there will be another event this Saturday, June 25 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Food City in Fountain City – 4805 North Broadway. Bring any old, unused or expired medications you may have in your home to the event. MDC continues to reiterate the importance of proper disposal of your drugs for the safety of those in your home and those entering your home. If you cannot make this medication collection event, there is a permanent drop box located just inside the Knoxville Police Department Safety Building – 800 Howard Baker Jr. Ave. This location is open 24/7.

MDC is excited to be hosting these events and continuing to share our mission with the community. We hope to see everyone at our events this week!