The Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge that is a major throughway in the Tampa Bay area is lit in red and gold this week to spotlight efforts that keep children drug-free.

As part of Red Ribbon Week, Oct. 24-31, the 4.14-mile bridge’s lights will serve as reminders that students, parents and the community play a role in drug prevention activities. The week is a project of the National Family Partnership, a not-for-profit created in 1980 to nurture healthy, drug-free youth.

The Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County (DOH-Pinellas) played a large role in lighting up the Skyway Bridge. Overdose Data to Action Coordinator Marianne Dean worked with the Pinellas and Hillsborough Boards of County Commissioners and Manatee County’s leadership to get resolutions making the inter-county effort possible. The requests were sent to the Florida Department of Transportation to bring the project to fruition.

“In Pinellas, more than one person dies from an opioid-related overdose every 26 hours and those numbers increased during COVID-19,” said Dean. “Red Ribbon Week is a reminder that we can educate and protect the next generation from becoming statistics.”

The DOH-Pinellas Office of Overdose Prevention is part of the Pinellas County Opioid Task Force that brings community agencies and groups together to work on strategies to reduce drug overdoses. Statistics and information about the task force’s work is at its story map at https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/57761bafd0aa459697ac4ebaf4aecb4f.

For information about DOH-Pinellas, go to www.PinellasHealth.com or call (727) 824-6900. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Nextdoor for the latest agency updates.

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About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

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