Saratoga Partnership for Prevention

Partnership Meeting Minutes

Date:  

January 13, 2005

Facilitator:      Becky Dixon

Location:

3 Blue Streak Blvd., 2^nd floor, School District Administration Building

Recorder:       Robin Ambrosino

Attendees:

R. Ambrosino, K. Bayer, B. Dixon, J. Ekman, G. Forward, D. Greene,

M. Jones, N. Karas, J. Kelly, S. Lang, M. Laudicina, R. Lavigne, D. McGarry,

T. Paskewich, K. Pettigrew,  K. Sephas, B. Stanley J. Tirelli, D. Torres.

Materials Distributed:

Parent Survey flyer soliciting volunteers; updated Partnership list; Missy Elliott anti-violence PSA, Post Star editorial about communities’ responsibility to prevent underage drinking; KBC nomination form.

Upcoming Events

·      There will be another Saratoga County Treatment Court graduation on May 4, 2005 in Ballston Spa at 3 p.m. Four participants are expected to graduate. This will be the 4^th graduation from Treatment Court since January 2003.

·      MADD Saratoga is still looking for funding to bring multimedia programs to schools in Saratoga, Washington, and Warren counties. Donations will help schools underwrite the cost of the program. They have received donations from Stewart’s and State Farm Insurance and already have several schools signed up, including Saratoga and Ballston Spa. Presentations are being scheduled for April and May.

·      John Kelly is taking an investigator position in the Saratoga Springs Juvenile Unit, and will no longer be Saratoga’s DARE Officer. Two potential replacements are currently in the DARE training program, and a replacement will be announced at the end of January 2005. John will introduce the new officer at the February meeting, and hopes to stay involved with Partnership activities in a mentor-type position through the end of the current school year. 

·      Just Desserts, the Prevention Council’s annual fundraiser and recognition event for people who help build community, will take place on Thursday, April 7^th this year. The agency is seeking nominations for the following categories of recognition: Local Professional, Public Servant, Local Volunteer (both adult and youth), and all-around Outstanding Service. Please forward nominee ideas to Judy Ekman at 581-1230 or judy@preventioncouncil.org.

·         Also, The Prevention Council’s Safe Spring Student Leadership Conference will be on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17^th at Skidmore College, from 9 until 1 p.m. for SADD members from around Saratoga County. All Partnership members are welcome to come.

·         The nationally-known singer, Missy Elliot, is looking for youth age 13-19 to help make a public service announcement about domestic violence, called “Break the Cycle.” Video tapes must be received by January 31^st. Five finalists will win a trip for six to Hollywood, where they’ll see Missy Elliot live in concert. The finalist’s spot will be aired nationwide on UPN. For more information, click here.

·         The Partnership is looking for volunteers to conduct its third Parent Survey on Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 25^th and 26^th from 6 – 9 p.m. Stewart’s Headquarters has donated use of their phones. Staff will provide pizza and training. To volunteer, call 581-1230.

·         The Kids Building Community feature in The Saratogian is underway. There are six months’ worth of features currently lined up, but we’d like to make sure there are enough to continue the segment after that. Nomination forms were distributed, and members were urged to take extras and distribute them further.

·         Post Star Editorial was distributed about party where parents were arrested for serving alcohol to minors and school took responsibility for contacting attendees’ parents. Discussion took place about other incidences of parent arrests for hosting similar parties.

·         The Dire Phelps AME Zion Church on Crescent Avenue in Saratoga Springs has begun hosting a luncheon after Sunday services. Participants are urged to bring food and hygiene items for their pantry.

·         REACH groups for girls classes will be offered at Greenfield Elementary School and Ballston Area Community Center beginning the end of January. The classes cover healthy relationships, good decisions, peer pressure, friendships, body image, etc. For more information, call Dianne at 583-0280 or Cathy at 885-3261.

Committee

Meetings

Media Action Team

·         Group reviewed national monthly theme campaigns that raise awareness about different health and human service topics. Group brainstormed which Partnership members could write short articles to correspond to those monthly themes for monthly Community Calendar feature in the Saratogian.

Community Forums Team

·         Group discussed need to go to our audience vs. making them come to us for community forums. The Sweeney grant says we need four forums about underage drinking during course of this year.

·         Attendance had been low for parent programs hosted by Partnership staff. Group discussed possibility of showing Power Point presentation where parents are already gathered, i.e., school concerts, sporting events. We would need to speak with principals and music teachers. Information could be presented by a team.

·         Nicole Karas has looked at a promotion idea called Fork in the Road, which is tailored to educating parents about underage drinking. The Partnership could personalize this promotion with our own local information via Power Point. May be possible to make this presentation available online.

Maintenance and Success Team                                                                   

·         Group discussed the subject of why to recruit people to the Partnership – i.e., to address teen employees at Hannaford who show up hung over to work, restaurant employees who use drugs, etc.

·         What can we offer? Possibility of offering a forum on teen employment issues, including referrals, interventions, and training. This may be a way the Partnership can reach out to the business community by demonstrating awareness of issues they face, but by offering a service vs. being preachy about underage substance use.

·         Group also discussed teen perspective – what they see in the workplace, issues they face at work, how to handle themselves in the workplace.

Data Team

·     Did not meet this time.

·         Stephanie Lang will ask Linda Kranik about a Heart Healthy article for February. Robin Ambrosino will follow-up with Stephanie Lang.

·     Robin will ask Judy Ekman about writing an article about Safe Spring and Inhalants for March.

·     Mike Laudicina will do an April article about volunteerism and healthy kids at the YMCA.

·         Diane McGarry will call Lisa Millis about writing an article for May about pregnancy prevention.

·     Robin will ask Jim Murphy about a Parents Who Host article for June.

·         Diane will write a summer recreation article for July.

·         Dianne Greene will write an article about domestic violence for August.

·    Mike Laudicina will     e-mail Robin about Vagina Monologue actors’ talk about domestic violence. The actors will visit Saratoga YMCA on Jan. 27 from 6-8 p.m.

·         Robin will ask Lori Beer to write an article for September to do with Strengthening Families and the national theme, “Eat Dinner with your Family Day.”

·         Robin will also remind Karen Pettigrew about hosting the February Partnership Meeting.

 ·         Nicole will put a program together with Fork in the Road material and additional local info.

·   Judy Tirelli will talk to kids about employment issues.

·   Becky Dixon will talk to Chamber of Commerce members about employment.

·   Maureen Jones will raise alcohol awareness issue with Girl Scout leaders.

·   Judy Ekman will talk to Jim Murphy about drugs and alcohol in the workplace.

Next

Meeting

The next Partnership meeting will take place at 3:30 p.m. on February 10^th at the district offices on the high school campus. Karen Pettigrew of MADD Saratoga will host.