Youth and Adults Working Together for a
Safe and Healthy Community

Date:  

June 16, 2005

Facilitators:    Maureen Cary, Robin Ambrosino, Nicole Karas

Location:

The Inn at Saratoga

Recorders: Stacy Bold, Judy Ekman,
Dan Morley

Attendees:

Robin Ambrosino, Lori Beer, Jim Bell, Brian Bold, Stacy Bold, Maureen Cary,
Judy Ekman, Helen Endress, John Kelly, Nicole Karas, Stephanie Lang,
Mike Laudicina, Bob Loggins, John MacFadden, Marie MacPherson, Diane McGarry,
Tim Moon, Dan Morley, Jim Murphy, Karen Pettigrew, Kathy Sephas, Judy Tirelli.

 

Materials Distributed:

Partnership Survey, Tally of Partnership accomplishments (read aloud, but attached here)

Partnership
Update

Maureen Cary highlighted the following upcoming Partnership events and activities, as outlined in the 2005 Drug Free Communities Grant application:

·  The fourth year of DARE All Stars camp will begin on July 18^th and operate for four weeks. There are only two spaces available for campers.

·  A pilot high school transition program coordinated by the Partnership, the Prevention Council and the school district is being planned for this fall. Funded by the school district, the program will include about 20 students identified by middle school guidance counselors, teachers and house principals as having the potential for a difficult high school transition either socially and/or academically. The program has a peer group support component and will promote self-confidence, help students deal with stress and anger management, and develop more positive relationships with teachers, friends and family.

·   An eighth session of Strengthening Families will take place this fall for families of new sixth grade students at Maple Avenue. In addition, the Partnership will expand the program’s application to high school families using a program designed for older students. The Partnership plans to adapt the program for online, home-based use in order to encourage families with older children to take part.

·   A survey was distributed to members in attendance and will be e-mailed or mailed to those who were not present in order to assess members’ perception of the function of the Partnership.

·  Results of the survey will be reviewed over the summer and reported on at the Partnership’s next meeting in September.

Rotating Discussions:

Coalition Building and Membership

Events and Activities

  
Public Information
Campaigns

Partners spent time in each of the following groups to help generate new ideas and plan for the coming year: Coalition Building and Membership, Events and Activities and Public Information Campaigns.

Discussion focused on increasing membership by 20% over the next year to advance Partnership initiatives. Several community sectors were identified that would contribute to the Partnership, including doctors and others from the health and medical field, downtown businesses, and service organizations. It was recommended that a focus on youth and family, in addition to prevention, would garner more interest in Partnership initiatives, especially among businesses.

There was some discussion of a recent photo in the paper of youth from the DARE All Stars Club working on a landscaping project at Maple Ave. Middle School. It was suggested that providing the students with T-shirts bearing the Partnership’s name and logo would help create more visibility for the Partnership and might contribute to more sector involvement.

Several recommendations were made regarding connecting with businesses, including: working with the Downtown Business Association to create a liaison with the Partnership, creating more public speaking opportunities with service organizations like the Lions and the Rotary Club, and working with the Education Coordinator at State Farm for involvement on Partnership Initiatives.

Mike Laudicina suggested creating a Job Finders program for youth, which had once operated successfully through the YMCA. Providing this kind of service to businesses would help promote business interest in Partnership Initiatives.

Judy Ekman suggested creating mini-investigation groups to identify and discuss community issues. She suggested that each partner could hold a discussion group at their homes with their friends and associates, the Partnership at large would generate information and ideas.

Discussion focused on increasing membership and membership duties. The belief is strong that partners should be spreading the word by increasing awareness of the Partnership when attending other events and community meetings.

Groups also discussed planning a big event to increase awareness/fundraise.  Ideas included:

• Tack on to high school football game
• Saratoga County fair
• Open house/PTA
• Apple festival in fall
• Sponsor an event in town

Brainstorm about fundraising event:

·        Big kick off, invite someone popular

·        Tap into places such as RACINO

·        First Night event

·        Fireworks, other established events

·        Family Fun Night, Maple Avenue (bouncy bounce, games, food)

·        “Saturday Night Live” b-ball games

·        Skidmore night out

·        Dance for parents

·        Child fingerprinting/DNA

Media involvement

• Engage other media to cover Partnership events
• PYX-106
• Get an ad person at the table, discuss logo issues, etc.

The majority of the discussions with all groups mentioned implementing a name and logo change.  Since the current name is long and cumbersome and not that well known anyway, it might benefit us to create something shorter, catchier and more self explanatory.

Discussion focused on whether the Partnership should use data from the youth and parent surveys to spread the word about prevention topics, or whether to focus on other areas. Groups came up with a variety of ideas:

• Publicize information about youth vs. parents’ perceptions about substance use.
• Make another banner and/or bumper sticker like “Celebrate Sober” – this time with a link to the Partnership website.
• Establish a Parenting Q&A section in the paper that we wanted to start this year – but possibly with content from a parent listserv.
• Create a listserv (include newspapers) about underage substance issues; tally weekly or monthly DWI arrests, etc.
• Establish a system of getting ATOD publicity to schools for a student audience – i.e., such as Judy Tirelli who posts articles about substance use and other teen issues outside her classroom.
• Link up with a community group that could create a poster/flyer campaign – i.e., Leadership Saratoga. This could link to the business community – advertising or graphics companies.
• Use blocks of space in the newspaper with a “Did you know?” format. Publish both positive and negative information.
• Establish a Friday calendar of events in the newspaper – drug and alcohol free kid-friendly ideas.
• In general, suggestions were made to branch out to other media besides The Saratogian.
• Create an essay-writing contest as in “Respecting Difference” for Diversity Day.
• Create a marketing team.
• Use interactive video features on the Partnership website.

One of the groups that included several key leaders suggested we need new blood to generate new ideas. A new member to the Partnership at this meeting said he was interested in addressing the issue of marijuana. Others agreed that they know generically that it’s harmful, but that they don’t know exactly why.

One of the groups also suggested some new means of getting the Partnership message out, such as using Lamar’s message on wheels, public access television, or having groups such as the Rotary or Time Warner help underwrite actual media buys. In general, groups agreed that the Partnership needs to hone in on specific topics, and would benefit from a better name and identity. Someone suggested using the words “kids,” “families,” or “community” in a new name and soliciting ideas from kids and families. If we choose their name, reward the winner with a gift certificate.

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·   Partnership and Prevention Council staff will meet with school district officials to explore other science-based options.

Next Meeting

 The next Partnership meeting will take place on Thursday, Sept. 15th, on the 2nd floor of the School Administration wing at the high school.