Islip goes purple!

When considering addiction, many people tend to think “not in my town,” “not in my friend group,” or “not in my family,” yet substance-abuse disorder is a disease with a heavy impact on all of our communities. To raise awareness for substance-abuse disorder, addiction, overdose, and mental health, the Town of Islip has “gone purple” throughout September in recognition of Recovery Awareness Month.

This year marks the sixth annual Islip Goes Purple (IGP), which has grown every year, and has even grown throughout Long Island with Brookhaven, Babylon and Huntington townships following the Town of Islip and lighting their communities purple, along with Massapequa Park in the Town of Oyster Bay.

On Wednesday, Sept. 4, Islip Town supervisor Angie Carpenter was joined by members of the Islip Town Board and elected officials for the annual Color Fun Run/Walk kick-off event and the lighting of the Town Hall cupola purple.

Outside of Islip Town Hall, addiction and mental health information and resources were distributed by local organizations, including Youth Enrichment Services, Risewell, Jake K, Foundation, and many more.

Participants in the Color Fun Run/Walk traveled around the Town Hall traffic circle as they were blasted by purple powder to adorn their white IGP shirts before the IGP ceremony.

“Islip Goes Purple symbolizes our continued commitment to stand together, united in memory of the lives lost, those in recovery, those struggling, and the families throughout the Town of Islip and across Long Island impacted by mental illness, struggling with mental health, and those affected by a substance-use disorder,” said Carpenter. “And it does not discriminate; it can affect anyone, regardless of economic or social status.”

Sixteen-year-old Madison, a client of Outreach, was also among the speakers. Outreach is a premier provider of life-changing drug and alcohol abuse treatment and training services, with a teen residential drug and alcohol treatment program in Brentwood.

Madison shared that after breaking probation by smoking marijuana, she arrived at Outreach three months ago and has been sober ever since.

“With no distractions around me, I have seen a part of myself that I have never seen before.

They helped me start doing the things I love again, and I reached my full potential,” said Madison. “I still have work to do, but these things take time.”

After graduating from her program, she plans to finish high school and go to college to become a social worker and use her story to help others.

“Outreach is just a small period of your life, but can create a lifetime of changes if you put your mind to it,” added Madison.

Suffolk County executive Ed Romaine, who was elected in November 2023 and previously served as Brookhaven Town supervisor, commended the Town of Islip during the ceremony.

Two rounds of opioid grant funding were distributed under former Suffolk County executive Steve Bellone, in the amount of $25 million and $20 million in July 2022 and August 2023, respectively. The funds were the result of a landmark court victory against opioid manufacturers and distributors.

During Romaine’s speech, he expressed optimism that the Town of Islip will soon receive funding to expand their efforts.

“Islip is doing a great job,” said Romaine. “I know we have opioid money coming around, and Islip is going to benefit from that, which it did not in the first two rounds—neither did Brookhaven—but we are going to fund Islip because they are on the cutting edge of this issue.”

New York State Overdose Awareness Day is Thursday, Sept. 19, and the town invites you to show your support of those in recovery by wearing purple.

Throughout the entire month, a variety of IGP events will be hosted throughout the town, including a Long Island Ducks game on Sept. 15, Brentwood Vibe and Thrive on Sept. 20, Healing Strides Walk for Recovery at the East Islip Marina on Sept. 28, webinars about opiates and vaping on Sept. 18 and 25, and many more. For more information about the events, treatment resources, or how to turn your home or business purple, visit www.islipgoespurple.com.

“These tragedies don’t happen to other people; they happen to people like us… all of us have been touched in some way by loss due to overdose or suicide,” concluded Carpenter. “We’re making strides, but we have more work to do.”