Gardnerville, NV — On October 19th, 2024, Partnership Douglas County (PDC), Rescued Hearts Ranch (RHR), Eli33, and other partners successfully hosted the first annual Fall Up Fest at Lampe Skate Park, drawing local residents and athletes of all kinds. The event drew over 60 attendees, including 28 youth and young adults who competed in the skate contest, to promote healthy lifestyles and raise awareness about the dangers of substance use.

This community gathering was designed to highlight the importance of substance use prevention, specifically targeting opioid misuse, while providing fun, drug-free activities. Local health organizations were on-site to offer resources related to harm reduction and prevention!

“We wanted to bring the skateboarding and public health worlds together to raise awareness and provide resources for safe choices,” said Jasmine Moriah, Event Coordinator. “Our goal is to promote healthy habits over dangerous substances. It was amazing to see, there were a lot more competitors than we thought there would be! The turnout was great and it seemed like everyone had a good time. We look forward to the next event.”

The organizers are committed to making Fall Up Fest an annual event each October in recognition of National Substance Use Prevention Month. PDC participated to highlight resources for opioid prevention, including Narcan trainings and information about its life-saving use. The hashtag #TooDopeForDrugs was used to promote the event’s message of living a substance-free lifestyle.

“We love our community and are so excited to support more great events just like Fall Up Fest,” said Daria Singer, Executive Director at PDC. “Prevention starts with you! The more we talk about substance use, the more we can destigmatize sober living and help connect those in need with local resources.”

Maggie Levin, President of Rescued Hearts Ranch, shared her thoughts on co-hosting the event: “At Rescued Hearts Ranch, Nevada’s first care-farm non-profit, we believe in the power of community and creativity. Supporting and co-hosting the Fall Up Fest is our way of nurturing both the spirit of skateboarding and the connections that uplift us all. Together, we can inspire resilience, drug and alcohol free activities, and joy, one trick at a time!”

The event successfully brought together local skateboard talent and public health resources to promote healthy habits and substance-free living. Photos from the event, including those taken by Jay Drees, are available on PDC’s website.

The organizers would like to thank all volunteers, sponsors, partners, athletes, and participants for making the first annual Fall Up Fest a success! For more information, visit pdcnv.org, rescuedheartsranch.org, and elidillon.com.

The photos below were captured by Jay Drees!