The Shadow
CLIFTON FORGE — The Alleghany Highlands Healthy Youth Coalition and Alleghany Highlands Community Services hosted a free viewing of the “Dying in Vein” documentary to a packed house Thursday evening at the Historic Masonic Theatre in Clifton Forge.
Dying In Vein is a personal exploration of opiate and heroin addiction that chronicles the lives of an addict in recovery, a couple trying to get clean, a family grieving the loss of their son and an Emergency Room physician trying to save patients.
The grieving family used their son’s personal journal, family videos and interviews with one of his friends, now in recovery, to tell his story. The couple finally got clean and went their separate ways. And, the ER physician is still trying to save lives, one patient at a time.
After the movie, index cards were handed out to take questions from the audience to the panel. The panel included Cathy Schiffer, Alleghany Highlands Community Services mental health and substance use director; Chief Anthony Morgan of the Covington City Police Department; Jared Campbell, Alleghany County Sheriff’s Office deputy and physician’s assistant; and Megan Dudley, who is currently in recovery.
One question was: What is law enforcement in the Alleghany Highlands doing to address the issue?
Morgan explained that it has taken a “change in mindset, an understanding that it’s a mental health issue.”
Morgan also explained that arrests are not helping so he’s looking into getting a drug court.
“It’s going to take everybody, not just the police and CCSB,” said Morgan before adding that some faith-based groups are also starting to get involved.
“We are delighted we are able to do this (provide the platform for the viewing) because the community needs to be aware of this problem and begin talking about it”, said Gayle Hillert, vice president of the Historic Masonic Theatre Preservation Foundation.
The Alleghany County Health Department offered flu shots, for those needing them, along with informational handouts. The CCSB had a table full of handouts, medicine cases, gunlocks and pens.
For more information, contact Chelesa Dunaway at (540) 965-2100, Ext. 133.
