Arlington High Basketball Teams Proudly Announce the Launch of Spy Ponders Go Purple

Arlington High Basketball Teams Proudly Announce the Launch of Spy Ponders Go Purple! The Herren Project: Project Purple Anti-Substance Campaign on Jan 23, 2015

The Arlington High School Boys and Girl’s Basketball teams will join schools and community groups across the United States by “Going Purple” at their January 23rd home games. Arlington teams are honoring Chris Herren’s project initiative: Project Purple, a national anti-substance abuse awareness program. Project Purple is a non-profit foundation established by Chris Herren, former NBA basketball player, motivational speaker, author and sobriety advocate, that assists individuals and families struggling with addiction through treatment navigation, education and mentoring. The Herren Project’s Project Purple initiative goals are to create awareness and educate the public on the epidemic of substance abuse while encouraging teens and people of all ages to make positive decisions and stand up to drugs and alcohol.

In 2013, Herren presented to over 2,000 Arlington High and Ottoson students and spoke about attending similar presentations in high school and how he had easily dismissed them as a waste of time. As he perceived it then, he “only drank and smoked weed—nothing serious”. He then went on to describe his progression from seemingly innocuous experimentation with alcohol and marijuana to his excessive cocaine and Oxycontin use, and finally to his harrowing years of struggle with heroin. Herren went on to loose his career, friends, and almost his family and life by overdosing many times.- See more at: http://www.wickedlocal.com/article/20130130/News/301309741/?Start=1#stha...

We encourage Arlington citizens to come to the game not only to cheer on their home team but to participate in the anti-substance abuse awareness that will be promoted at this event. There will be information tables, support and resources available thanks to the Arlington Youth and Health Safety Coalition. Please join your friends and neighbors and cheer on Arlington High’s undefeated boys basketball team, and the winning girls basket ball team as Spy Ponders stand up and “Go Purple” showing support for the fight against substance abuse.