WARREN – Somerset County Freeholder Robert Zaborowski, Human Services Liaison, would like to invite residents to drop off any expired and unused medications at the Warrenbrook Senior Center, located on the golf course at 500 Warrenville Road, on Wednesday, April 16.

A Sheriff’s Officer will be stationed at Warrenbrook between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 16, to collect unwanted medications. The only time medicines can be dropped off at the center is when a Sheriff’s Officer is present.

Residents are encouraged to drop off any unused, unwanted or expired medications in re-closable plastic zipper-type bags. Pills can be emptied into the bags and the containers discarded. Needles and syringes cannot be accepted. The program is free and anonymous.

Sleeping pills, anti-depressants, pain killers, and even over–the-counter cough and cold medicines all have the potential for abuse. A 2011 survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that over 70% of people who abuse prescription pain relievers got the medicine through friends or relatives; a statistic that includes raiding the family medicine cabinet.

Contact the senior center by 10:00 a.m., at least one business day in advance, to make a lunch reservation. A suggested lunch donation of $2.00 is recommended for individuals age 60 and above. The cost of lunch for those under age 60 is $6.75.

One of seven centers operated by the Somerset County Office on Aging and Disability Services, Warrenbrook is a multipurpose facility that offers a variety of educational, recreational and entertaining activities for active older adults, including wellness programs and health screenings. The center is accessible to individuals with disabilities.

Somerset County senior centers offer a wide range of experiences designed for lifelong enrichment in a social and uplifting atmosphere, intended to positively impact overall health. Choices of four lunch menus (with and without meat) are served daily at centers, which are funded in part through the Older Americans Act and the county Board of Chosen Freeholders. Many of the programs and activities are made possible through partnerships, volunteers and the generosity of donors who pay instructor and presenter fees.

For more information, contact manager Gwen Chalker, Warrenbrook Senior Center, at 908-753-9440.