RVC Youth Council Highlights 'What Could Have Been'

The RVC Youth Council treated residents to an art show with a message on Friday night at on North Long Beach Road.

The art? Murals of celebrities who have died because of drug use, skillfully placed on mannequin torsos.

The message? Life for these talents could have been so much longer and more rewarding had they lived a sober lifestyle. 

“There’s a lot of traditional ways to prevent substance abuse, especially with youth,” Youth Council Vice President Catherine Kildunne said. “But, I wanted to do something different (and) change the game a little bit. We thought of putting art into changing the way people think about substance abuse and how evil it is.”

Members from the council, , and the all contributed to the show, aptly titled “What Could Have Been."

Celebrities from every era were featured. Some of the more popular subjects included Jimi Hendrix, Michael Jackson and Judy Garland. Iconic Yankee Mickey Mantle was also profiled with a single pinstriped mannequin.

“So many people are coming up to me and saying ‘Wow, Mickey Mantle? He (struggled) with substance abuse?’ Youth Council Chairman Beth Hammerman said. “I think so many people are shocked that all these famous people that are icons in our lives died because of some kind of substance abuse. I think it's an eye opener to see how prevalent it was.”  

The art show was just a small part of the council’s day-to-day work. They bring together RVC teens with dedicated adults to prevent substance abuse to highlight the dangers of such behaviors, according to an official press release. 

“The Youth Council provides a safe place for teens to socialize that doesn’t involve substance abuse,” Kildunne said. “We host social events and hope to open our own teen center.”