(8/14) Addiction-related relapses and deaths continue to increase as COVID-19 stay-at-home orders and other social restrictions persist, according to the Thurmont Addiction Commission (TAC).

TAC Chairman Ed Schildt told the town commissioners at their August 4 meeting that, “Isolation (resulting from state-mandated COVID-19 dictates) is a huge, huge detriment to recovery, as people In recovery are trying to be in support groups themselves, or create recovery plans, and doing it in an isolated environment is really, really tough.”

Schildt added that there has been a number of “relapses and deaths, etcetera that continue,” noting that the efforts of the TAC have been challenged by the pandemic, because much of the support, recovery assistance, and education aspects they offer to recovering addicts relies on hands-on, face-to-face outreach. “We have not been able to do those types of things for basically this entire year.”

Nevertheless, there have been a number of projects the organization has been able to pursue over the last several months.

Local and county recovery houses for addicts have also come under duress from the harsh impact of the COVID-19 restrictions, such as suffering food shortages.

The shut-down left many of the recovering addicts without jobs to buy food. TAC was able to provide the houses with gift cards with which to buy food, as well as forward donated food to the houses.

Schildt said TAC has been able to hold weekly Zoom (online) meetings for family support groups on Wednesday nights, as a few in-person meetings at Community Park and in Frederick.

The commissioners also recently agreed for TAC to decorate the Town Square Park with purple ribbons and signage in recognition of National Recovery Month. Schildt stated that decorating with purple was originally initiated by Frederick County last year with their ‘Frederick County Goes Purple’ campaign.

“We really want to do something in October, like a kick-ball tournament, or something. We did volleyball last year. But those kinds of things are really hard to pull-off right now, without putting people in harm's way,” the TAC chairman said.

Schildt said TAC is seeking someone to volunteer to perform secretarial duties and possibly media relations. In addition, he said anyone interested in helping the organization with activities is welcome.