PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. - Picatinny Arsenal officials observed Red Ribbon Week from Oct. 21-25 with several anti-drug awareness activities and events for employees and families including one that installation officials had never done before, a family movie night at a nearby movie theater.
“Red Ribbon Week, an initiative advocating against drug and alcohol use disorder, has always emphasized the importance of finding healthy, alternative ways to cope with life's challenges,” said Amy Gopel, Picatinny Arsenal’s Alcohol and Substance Abuse Program Manager and Employee Assistance Program Coordinator.
“While Red Ribbon Week is an annual campaign, our goal is to make it something far more meaningful,” Gopel said. “We held picnics, wore red, participated in the annual Trunk or Treat, and hosted more than 50 vendors at our Health and Wellness Fair, but perhaps the most heartwarming moment was our ‘Goonies’ Family Movie Night.
The theme of this year’s Red Ribbon Week campaign was “Life is a Movie.”
‘It encourages us to spend quality, drug- and alcohol-free time together, sharing memories and making new ones,” Gopel said. “The Goonies, a beloved 80s adventure film about friendship and courage, is the perfect way to do just that!”
The Goonies movie was featured at no-cost to Picatinny employees and family members during an evening showing at the nearby AMC Movie Theater at the Rockaway Townsquare Mall on Oct. 24.
“Nearly 100 of our Picatinny community members and their families came together, some rewatching, some seeing it for the first time, but all sharing in the joy of a nostalgic classic,” she said. “Sitting in the back, we were fortunate to hear the laughter and giggles from families enjoying each other’s company—moments that were only possible through our collective efforts over the years.”
Earlier this year, Gopel was recognized as Picatinny’s first female recipient of the Stalwart Award, which was approved by the Secretary of the Army in 2003 to recognize U.S. Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM) individuals who have demonstrated the highest standards of performance, and significantly contributed to the command's success and responsibilities.
In her role, Gopel oversees a division focused on suicide prevention, employee assistance, readiness and resiliency, drug testing, leadership development, inclusion, and workplace cohesion.
The installation’s annual Red Ribbon campaign is one facet of the program that Gopel along with her colleague Kristina William’s work tirelessly to support. The innovative new ideas and approaches that Gopel presents are inspired by one of the world’s most well-known civil rights activists and poets, the late Maya Angelou.
“As Maya Angelou so beautifully said, ‘People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’ Our wish is that our office continues to be a safe place where community members feel good and connected. Thank you to everyone who joined, participated, and helped build our community. It may be a small effort, but as we know, even a small community can make a big difference, one step at a time.”
The Red Ribbon Campaign originated in 1985, when Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, a Marine Corps veteran and police officer turned Drug Enforcement Administration agent, was murdered by drug traffickers in Guadalajara, Mexico.
In 1990, the Department of Defense officially began observing Red Ribbon Week to raise public awareness and mobilize communities to combat tobacco, alcohol and drug use among military personnel, civilians, and their families.
Employees who believe they have an alcohol or substance use disorder concern should contact Gopel at 973-724-4357 or for a referral. All screenings are confidential.
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