By: Lydia Crawley
The Parsons Advocate
September 2025 will be Tucker County Goes Purple Month throughout the County in observance of addiction and recovery awareness. The proclamation was signed by Tucker County Commission President Mike Rosenau July 23rd at the Commission’s regular meeting before representatives of the West Virginia Hope Dealer Project and West Virginia Goes Purple. Rhonda VanKirk spoke on behalf of the organizations at the meeting.
The Hope Dealer Project was founded in 2015 and Go Purple was founded in 2023, according to VanKirk, by Tara Mayson. West Virginia was the first state to have all 55 counties work together under one recovery movement in 2023, VanKirk said.
“Tara’s passion is deeply rooted in reclaiming our state’s identity,” VanKirk said. “That’s right, taking back our our state from the label of having the highest overdose rate in the nation.”
VanKirk said the goal is to have the rest of the country see West Virginia as a state that is united to fight against addiction, not defined by it.
“This mission is to shift the narrative so that West Virginia is no longer known for tragedy, but the first state in U.S. history to unite all 55 counties across in awareness and hope,” VanKirk said.
VanKirk urged the Commission to sign the proclamation and shared that the cause was one that she was passionate about for very personal reasons. Commissioner Rosenau gave condolences on behalf of the Commission.
“I ask that you sign the proclamation today,” VanKirk said. “I’m very passionate about it. I did not lose my husband to overdose, but however I lost him to active addiction suicide.”
In observance of Go Purple, throughout the Month of September, citizens and businesses in Tucker County are encouraged to be creative and display purple in their homes and establishments with the use of purple lights, ribbons, community events, purple displays, purple clothing, the sharing of recovery stories, activities, programs, ceremonies or anything that, “encourages the community to wear purple, light up your homes or businesses with purple lights, tie a purple ribbon on the tree, fence or door, make a purple heart display or get creative and display purple another way.”
In a motion by Commissioner Rosenau and approved by Commissioners Knotts and Davis, the Proclamation was approved and signed on behalf of the Commission by Rosenau.
