‘Mamas shouldn’t have to bury their kids.’ Here’s why drug take-back is important

While motivation varied among participants in Lee’s Summit’s Drug Take-Back Day in late October, determination did not. Those who gathered up unused prescription and over-the-counter medications in pill, liquid, cream and other forms were purposeful about it.

Twice each year, in April and October, the local event is held in conjunction with the national Drug Enforcement Administration’s campaign.

At the John Knox Village drop-off site, Pete and Anna Goss, residents there, said they wanted to be certain there was no chance another person had access to drugs that could harm them. Grandchildren were foremost in many people’s minds.

For Doris and Pete Stevenson, also John Knox Village residents, the reason was organizational in nature.

“We wanted to get the cabinets cleaned out,” Pete said. “I do it because she told me to,” he added with a grin.

The overarching purpose for Lee’s Summit CARES is to protect young people, according to Kim Fritchie, member and former president. “We want to keep drugs out of the hands of people who shouldn’t have them, whether that be children or grandchildren,” she said.

Shera McDowell, also a John Knox resident, voiced another intention.

“I don’t want them in the water,” she said. “It’s just good common sense.”

Officer Darnell Sims was at John Knox Village to assist volunteers with accepting contributions and answer questions for those who participated, while two other officers manned drive-thru donation sites at the police department, 10 NE Tudor, and Lee’s Summit Medical Center, 2100 SE Blue Parkway.

Volunteer Jackie Ernst of Lee’s Summit, stationed at the police department, was forthright. She was there to honor her son, Damien Gnotta, who was stabbed to death in a homeless camp in 2014.

“This is one of my things I do to remember him and help, because drugs are what put him in the situation where he was killed,” she said. “Mamas shouldn’t have to bury their kids, so I’m doing what I can to help another mama.”

Between plastic shopping bags, dishpans, trash bags full of medications, vitamins and other qualifying substances, collection boxes were packed with a total of 537 pounds by 217 people in October. In April 2022, Lee’s Summit collected 479.2 pounds of the 360 tons collected nationwide.

For those who missed the local event, a list of numerous permanent drop-off sites for controlled substances in the Kansas City area can be found on the Lee’s Summit CARES website, lscares.org, and the DEA website, dea.gov.