Gladwyne Woman Wins Award For Kensington Drug Documentary

GLADWYNE, PA — A Gladwyne residents was honored at a Philadelphia broadcast award ceremony recently for her work highlighting the drug issues in Philly's Kensington neighborhood.

PhillyCAM hosted the CAMMY Awards on national Community Media Day, Sunday, Oct. 20, at the Lightbox Film Center.

It was Gladwyne's Jill Frechie who won the Community Responder Award for producing the documentary "Kensington in Crisis."

PhillyCAM is a community media center that trains Philadelphians in broadcast production and airs original content on Philadelphia’s public access television and WPPM 106.5 FM.

Check out a description of "Kensington in Crisis" below:

The U.S. is in the midst of an opioid overdose epidemic. Once upon a time, the nation’s homeless and drug user was connected to poverty or ‘poor character.’ Today, all of society shares in its deadly path. Kensington, a Philadelphia neighborhood lingers in its wake. The police, city officials, and residents struggle to find answers among the perils of the epidemic. Philadelphia witnessed over 1,000 fatal overdoses in 2018. We currently have over 700 homeless living in the Kensington area. Recovery can take years, stigma can add shame and despair. Children living in the area are exposed to the reality of drug use daily. Our documentary hopes to shed light on the issues, problems and solutions in Kensington as all of America looks to our city to quickly find answers.

The Cammy Awards celebrate producers whose television and radio content brings together the people of Philadelphia to make and share media that promotes creative expression, democratic values, and civic participation.

The Cammys recognize the creativity and commitment of its volunteer producers whose programming exemplifies values of inclusion, collaboration, discovery, learning, local focus, and quality.