Skate or Die

Skate or Die was a slogan coined in the 1980s, and used as a rallying cry by skaters ever since.

Warren County Skatepark

Unfortunately, for some young people across America, the ones who are being sucked into the opioid crisis, this is not a slogan, this is an unfortunate reality.

Skating serves as one path to keep these kids away from drugs, as does baseball, football, and sports in general.

When I look at the Front Royal skatepark I see a chance for kids to hop on their skateboards and ride away from the opioid epidemic.

Far too many young people from my generation have lost their lives to an opioid crisis that was PURPOSEFULLY manufactured by big pharmaceutical companies like Perdue Pharma, in the name of high profit margins.

I call that blood money.

This opioid crisis was specifically targeted at rural communities.

Pill mills were created while prescriptions were handed out like candy, the victims were young people across rural America.

Once everyone was good and addicted, and the pill mills started to get shut down, the drug cartels brought the fentanyl in.

I have watched so many people from my high school graduating class die from overdoses.

I can’t even keep up with all of the names of the dead anymore.

We are truly the lost generation. This crisis has caused so much death and destruction of lives.

I’m 32, we can’t let the same thing happen to the young people who are growing up today, we have to declare war on the opioid epidemic in our county.

We must create a holistic action plan to tackle this issue in Warren County. We can’t afford to lose lives in this war against opioids any longer.

We have to fight it with everything we have.

In order to create some momentum for a county wide strategy, I am calling on the Board Of Supervisors to appoint a blue ribbon commission concerning the opioid crisis in Warren County.

The commissions task should be three fold:

1. Identify three to five local experts in dealing with recovery, as well as experts from across Virginia and America who the Board of Supervisors can consult for advice. We will need to further partner with local and regional non profits and churches who are already doing this work.

2. Identify the most successful programs across the country that have been implemented in other similar localities. Programs that have a proven track record of success in both preventing opioid use before it starts, and re integrating folks who are in recovery back into the work force and towards stability.

3. Identify potential state and federal grants that are currently available. Warren County should aggressively pursue obtaining these grants in order to fight this epidemic.

The commission should be tasked to have these answers within 90 days, we don’t have time to move slowly.

I’m also calling on our elected representatives in the State House to partner with Warren County on this.

This is an all hands on deck situation.

Virginia has received 10.5 billion dollars from the “build back better” infrastructure bill signed by Joe Biden, but to my knowledge not a single dollar has actually been spent in Warren county.

We were promised the rail trail from those funds, but not a single shovel has actually gone in the ground to get the project rolling as of now.

Warren County residents pay federal taxes just like the folks in Northern Virginia, and we dealt with the inflation caused by these spending bills just the same as the folks in Richmond. They are getting tons of that money invested into their communities, we should get some of that money also.

There is PLENTY of that money STILL floating around in Virginia that could be invested into Warren County.

I am asking State Representative Delores Oates and State Senator Timmy French to help BRING HOME THE BACON.

Please get us a piece of that 10.5 billion dollars to bring home to Warren County so that we can create programs to fight the opioid epidemic.

I’m not claiming to have all the answers, but maybe we can start by actively encouraging, and facilitating, mentorship programs for young people who play sports or skate. We will need to enlist Church leaders, community leaders, and coaches. This idea would certainly tie in well with the new sports plex that is being proposed by the Board of Supervisors.

Thomas Hinnant
Front Royal, VA

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the letters published on this page are solely those of the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Royal Examiner’s editorial team, its affiliates, or advertisers. The Royal Examiner does not endorse or take responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or validity of any statements made by the authors. The Royal Examiner has not independently verified the statements and claims presented in the letters. Readers are encouraged to exercise their own judgment and critical thinking skills when evaluating the content. Any reliance on the information in the letters is at the reader’s own risk.

While the Royal Examiner makes every effort to publish diverse opinions, it does not guarantee the publication of all received letters. The Royal Examiner reserves the right to edit letters for clarity, length, and adherence to editorial guidelines. Moreover, the Royal Examiner does not assume any liability for any loss or damage incurred by readers due to the content of the letters or any subsequent actions based on these opinions.

In submitting a letter to the editor, authors grant the newspaper the right to publish, edit, reproduce, or distribute the content in print, online, or in any other form.

We value the engagement of our readers and encourage open and constructive discussions on various topics. However, the Royal Examiner retains the right to reject any letter that contains offensive language, personal attacks, or violates any legal regulations. Thank you for being a part of our vibrant community of readers and contributors, and we look forward to receiving your diverse perspectives on matters of interest and importance.