Stonington, ME – Island Health & Wellness Foundation (IH&WF) is pleased to partner with the State of Maine and Points North Institute to bring the documentary Recovery Boys to the Stonington Opera House on Wednesday, December 4, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. This free event is part of a statewide documentary effort to raise awareness about the opioid crisis. Mary Herman will be in attendance. Ms. Herman is Maine’s former First Lady, who currently oversees Special Projects in the Office of Maine Department of Education and works closely with Gordon Smith, Governor Mills’ Director of Opiate Response, staffing the statewide Prevention Task Force.

Recovery Boys (89 minutes), a Netflix documentary directed by Oscar-nominated director Elaine McMillion Sheldon, takes an intimate look at four men attempting to reinvent their lives and mend broken relationships after years of drug misuse. After the screening of the film, there will be a panel discussion where the community can ask questions of those who are experts in our area in the areas of substance use prevention, treatment and recovery. All the screening events across the state are free and open to the public. The Stonington event will also offer free refreshments, thanks to a grant from IH&WF.

“We intend to use the films to raise awareness and generate critical public conversations in underserved communities in Maine, including rural communities, high schools and prisons. Through the screenings, we plan to grow our network of partners of medical institutions, high school teachers, social service providers, policymakers, law enforcement and legal professionals, and civil society organizations. By partnering on free public events, these stakeholders will have unique opportunities for creative and collaborative visioning of how various constituents can work together to better address the opioid crisis in Maine communities,” said Sean Flynn, program director of Points North Institute.

Anne West, IH&WF’s Executive Director, adds, “We are very excited to be chosen as a location to show this film. It is a testimony to the work that this community has done to end the stigma and shame around substance use disorders. I hope that everyone will make a special effort to be in attendance on December 4th.”

To find out more information about this event please contact Anne West at 367-5851 or at IHWF1966@gmail.com. This film is not recommended for children, but we encourage you to reach out to Anne directly if you would like to attend and need childcare.