New Philadelphia, Ohio - An event next week at Quaker Cinema will highlight the devastating impact of drug abuse and the message that every life is worth saving. 

On Tuesday, November 13th, the Tuscarawas County Anti-Drug Coalition will present “From the Heart: A Life Worth Saving,” a compilation of four short but powerful films depicting the opioid epidemic at ground zero. 

The series will feature the stories of Mary Ann Otte, Anita Davis and Tonda DaRe, three local mothers who have experienced the heartbreak of losing a child to a drug overdose, along with the story of Caleb Buckley, a young man in recovery.    

Tuscarawas County Anti-Drug Coalition Coordinator Jodi Salvo says the films are short but impactful and are designed to raise awareness and erase the stigma that surrounds drug abuse. 

“One of the barriers we find with substance use as a community issue is understanding the issue. There’s a lot of stigma. People don’t understand this could happen to me, and that’s one of our biggest barriers. We need every single person to understand that addiction can happen to any single person, any single family in Tuscarawas County,” she says.

The event is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6 p.m. for live music and hors d’oeuvres, and the film premiere begins at 7.

Salvo says the event is an opportunity to create awareness, educate the community and share resources. 

“ It’s going to be a call to action to the community to understand this better,” she says. “We’re doing a lot, and we are making a difference, and we will continue to fight this battle and win this battle.”

STACEY CARMANY, TUSCO TV