For Immediate Release

Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Greater Lawrence Technical School Students to Participate in Community Forum with Merrimack Valley Prevention and Substance Abuse Project

ANDOVER — Superintendent John Lavoie is pleased to announce that Greater Lawrence Technical School is working with the Merrimack Valley Prevention and Substance Abuse Project on its fourth annual community forum.

WHEN:

Saturday, Sept. 23 from 4-8 p.m.

WHERE:

Greater Lawrence Technical School, 57 River Road, Andover

WHAT:

MVPASAP, working with GLTS, will host its To Be Aware Is To Be Alive community event. With the miracle of recovery as their theme, organizers are focused on educating the public about life after addiction.

Each hour of the night will be filled with informative and moving segments that will provide attendees with a better understanding of opioid and alcohol addiction. Between 30-40 organizations involved in substance abuse recovery will be set up around the school to provide information and answer questions.

Throughout the night, GLTS students, as part of the school’s Interact Club — a community service extracurricular organization– will be assisting with logistics to ensure that guests can easily navigate through the school and enjoy the event.

“GLTS has been so supportive of our event from the very start,” said MVPASAP President Philip Lahey. “This type of collaboration is really what our organization is all about — getting in touch with students and parents about an issue that is having a profound effect on our nation. We’re hoping community members will join us for this great event.”

Attendees can visit the Hidden in Plain Sight exhibit, which is designed to help parents spot the signs of youth substance use. They will also learn how to best communicate with their children as another tool to help prevent alcohol and drug abuse.

From 4-5:30 p.m., members of the Methuen, Andover and North Andover Police Departments will host a free Narcan training session.

At 6 p.m., guests will be invited into the auditorium for a showing of “If Only”– a short film that highlights the negative effects of prescription drug abuse and opioid addiction. James Wahlberg, the film’s producer, will speak to attendees about the purpose and motivation of the film.

To conclude the event, the Improbable Players — actors who are in long-term recovery — will teach attendees about addiction through dramatic performances and theater workshops.

“A little over a year ago we brought Mr. Lahey to GLTS to present to students, faculty and staff about opioid and alcohol addiction, and his presentation was so moving and informative that we wanted to become more involved in MVPASAP,” Superintendent Lavoie said. “We’re pleased to be able to donate our space to the To Be Aware Is To Be Alive event and I want to thank all students who have volunteered their time to be a part of this.”

For more information about the event, contact MVPASAP at 978-886-2949.

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