Date:  

October 13, 2005

Facilitator:  Maureen Cary

Location:

3 Blue Streak Blvd., 2^nd floor, School District Administrative Offices

Recorder: Robin Ambrosino

Attendees:

Robin Ambrosino, Kelley Bayer, Lori Beer, Kati Behrens, Jim Bell,
Maureen Cary, Judy Ekman, Bev LaBarge, Stephanie Lang, Bob Loggins,
Diane McGarry, Tim Moon, Dan Morley, Jim Murphy, Karen Pettigrew,
Brenda Quinn, Judy Tirelli, Dave Torres.
 

Materials Distributed:

News and Announcements

·      The Health and Human Services Coalition is up and running for the year. Presentations will be on Tuesdays from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. at the Saratoga Springs Public Library. Nov 1^st will be Dave Mathis on Sexual Assault Risk and Reduction for Kids.

·      Thursday, October 20^th is the first High School PTSO meeting of the year at 7 p.m. in the High School library. Members are interested in programs on prevention, like we did last year.

·      There will be two TIPS server training courses in November: one for bartenders and wait staff on Monday, November 14^th and one for package store staff on Tuesday, November 15^th. To register, call 581-1230.

·      Thank you to partners who have turned in their in-kind contribution forms for the Drug Free Communities Grant financial report. Forms are due to the Partnership’s bookkeeper by the end of October.

·      This is Lori Beer’s last meeting representing Center for the Family. Next month she will be the Coalition Development Coordinator for The Prevention Council, building coalitions in the southern part of Saratoga County. Meanwhile, the Center is in its 3^rd week of Strengthening Families. There are usually two weeks in between courses, which are offered on an ongoing basis. The Center will be starting a boys group in late October for kids aged 10-12 who are struggling with social and academic issues. For more information, call 587-8008.

·      This year is MADD’s 25^th anniversary. At the national conference in DC two weeks ago, activists lobbied NY Senators Clinton and Schumer regarding underage drinking issues and funding for crime victims’ rights. John Kelly had been nominated for a law enforcement scholarship to attend the conference, so he was able to go free of charge.

·      Kati Behrens introduced herself as the Partnership’s new Youth Development Specialist.
 

§  Partners should complete their in-kind worksheets and return them to staff ASAP.

Partnership Updates

·         The Events committee was hoping to pull off a pumpkin festival in October, but ran out of time due to the city’s permit process. We did establish a rapport with the DBA which has a fall festival each year, so we hope to make it happen next year.

·         A coalition development training is in the works for January 2006 with Steve Ridini, who’s a leading trainer around the country and works with the Massachusetts Medical Foundation. Staff will choose a date and the event will be free to all Partnership members.

·         There are 14 families signed up for the Partnership’s Strengthening Families program, which began October 11^th. The YMCA leadership club is helping with childcare, a Skidmore student is coordinating the Leadership Club kids, and BOCES Culinary Arts students are catering the meals.

·         Staff recently learned that we need to slightly revise our Drug Free Communities grant application. There were concerns about the amount of direct service represented in one staff position. This is not expected to be a problem for us, but it has been for other coalitions in the country, whose funding got dropped at the last minute.

·      Large group divided into three committees last month:

§   Coalition building and membership

§   Events and activities

§   Public information and data collection

Members are encouraged to move around based on their skills and interests. Committees may blend together or share some tasks.

Coalition Building and Membership
Committee

Events and Activities
Committee

Public Information
& Data Collection

·      Group brainstormed and decided to meet more than just once a month during Partnership meetings. Talked about getting parents and youth to the table and building programs from there. Looking to tap into people and groups that are already gathering for other reasons.



 

·      Group had a long discussion about First Night activities. Discussing working with the YMCA again – as we did several years ago – to tape kids discussing healthy lifestyles. There were lots of ideas about how to draw kids to the Y for First Night, and to promote Partnership events and activities.

·      Group also brainstormed ideas for people and agencies to contribute to this year’s community calendar in The Saratogian.

·      Group started reviewing Risk Profile for categories of data to change. We need to update information that used to be mandated by our previous funder but is now up to us to determine. Website is ready to go – new look, same info. Also, newsletter won’t be as much Partnership information as it used to be, but will also include other agencies’ information. 

·  Group is working on another meeting date.

·  Judy Tirelli will talk to Mike Laudicina about the event the Partnership hosted several years ago.

·  Robin will  contact Partnership members about the possibility of contributing to the Common Goals newsletter.

Next Meeting

 The next Partnership meeting will take place on Thursday, November 10^th in the district administrative offices at 3 Blue Streak Blvd.