Talbot Goes Purple will host a free community screening of An American Opioid Crisis: Talbot Goes Purple at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, at the St. Michaels Community Center as part of its 10th anniversary celebration.
Set amidst the tragic repercussions of the opioid epidemic, The American Opioid Crisis: Talbot Goes Purple explores the partnership between law enforcement, civic leaders, and the recovery community in Talbot County as they battle the devastating effects of addiction. The film is a project of Ferrari Films, a Colorado-based media company that filmed the project in September of 2018. Talbot County Sheriff Joe Gamble, who founded Talbot Goes Purple in 2016, will host a question-and-answer session after the film.
An American Opioid Crisis: Talbot Goes Purple features local health officials, people in recovery and community advocates. The film is dedicated to Mariah Albee and all those lost to the overdose crisis.
The documentary originally premiered in Easton in 2019. Its return to Talbot County provides an opportunity to reflect on the community’s progress while renewing the focus on reducing stigma and increasing awareness of prevention, treatment and recovery.
“This film really is a testament to our community,” said Talbot County Sheriff Joe Gamble, who founded Talbot Goes Purple in 2016. “Since the film was made, more than half of Maryland’s counties have gone purple, along with communities in several other states. That growth shows what can happen when communities come together to address this crisis.”
The screening will mark the beginning of a new partnership between the St. Michaels Community Center and Talbot Goes Purple. The center’s executive director, Amy Horne, will announce a new youth project with Talbot Goes Purple and Grace Street, highlighting the organizations’ shared commitment to strengthening community awareness, prevention and support around substance use and recovery. “We are so excited about this partnership because it represents exactly what we want our new Teen Center to be — a place where young people are connected to their community, their voices are heard, and strong community partners come together to support them,” said Amy Horne, executive director of the St. Michaels Community Center. “Working with Talbot Goes Purple and Grace Street to create opportunities for youth-led podcasts and honest conversations around prevention, substance use and recovery is a meaningful step toward our vision of a thriving and connected Bay Hundred.”
Talbot Goes Purple is a community prevention initiative that empowers the youth and community to ‘Go Purple’ as a sign of taking a stand against substance use. The community can attend the 10th annual kick off on Aug. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Anchor Church in Easton. More information is available at www.talbotgoespurple.org. Find TGP on Facebook @TalbotGoesPurple.
Talbot Goes Purple is a component fund of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization – donations to which are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
