West Virginia Northern Community College hosts events in celebration of National Substance Abuse Prevention Month

West Virginia Northern Community College (WVNCC) will celebrate National Substance Abuse Month with two events that are open to the public on their Wheeling Campus. On Monday, October 15, WVNCC will host a screening of the documentary, “Recovery Boys,” at 6 p.m. Following the screening, a panel of experts will discuss substance abuse and prevention, while taking questions from the audience. The following day, Tuesday, October 16, WVNCC will host a Narcan training at noon. Narcan is a nasal spray which counteracts the life-threating effects of opioid overdose. Both events are free and will be held in the Auditorium of the B&O Building.

“Recovery Boys” is a documentary by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker, Elaine McMillion Sheldon, and is about four men from West Virginia, including Adam, who is from Wheeling, and their struggles with substance abuse and addiction. The panel who will lead the discussion following the screening will include Mary Hess from the Unity Center; Pat Condren from the Lazarus House; Martha Polinsky from Community Impact Coalition; Wendy Scatterday, Ward 4 City Council representative; RJ Faldowski, Wheeling Police Officer and WVNCC Campus Liaison Officer; Laura Albertini-Weigel from the YMCA Women in New Directions Program; Shelley Rohrig from Grief Recovery After a Substance Support Group; and Carol Robison from Miracles Happen, a rehab facility specializing in the treatment of drug and alcohol abuse. Please RSVP to the Office of Students Activities at 304-214-8917 or email swood@wvncc.edu.

Narcan training on Tuesday, October 16, will be conducted by Faldowski and will include the signs of opioid overdoes and how to safely use a Narcan atomizer. Narcan is the first and only FDA approved nasal form of naloxone for the emergency treatment of a known or suspected opioid overdose. Anyone interested in attending the Narcan Training should RSVP by calling 304-650-9994 or email rfaldowski@wvncc.edu.

Both events are sponsored by WVNCC Student Activities.

West Virginia Northern Community College is a two-year comprehensive community college offering transfer degrees and programs in the Liberal Arts, Career-Technical and Community and Continuing Education on three campuses in the northern panhandle.