APRIL 2023
Upcoming Events
April 12, 12:00 PM: WHEN Coalition’s Annual Meeting – We will review our Annual Report from Epiphany Community Services (our evaluator), get status on current projects, and vote on updated policies. All coalition members are encouraged to attend if possible, either in person or online. (Lunch will be provided to those attending at NEQALS.) Please register here.
April 15, 10:00-4:00: Stop by Webster Central PTSA’s Community Arts Day and visit our table where we will not only have loads of prevention information to share, but also a fun, free, “Seeds of Change” craft. Kids can make and decorate a paper bird feeder to take home along with coloring pages. As the seasons change, this is a great time to notice our feathered friends, and bird watching together is a great opportunity for families to build protective factors by bonding over shared activities and experiences. Don't miss the free performance by world-famous Garth Fagan Dance at 11:30 AM. Learn more about Community Arts Day.
April 20 6:30 PM - Family Game Night travels to Plank South where families can enjoy free Candy Bar BINGO! This event has been extremely well received at both DeWitt and State Rd schools. See details and free registration.
April 22, 10-2:00 PM: DEA National Drug Take Back Day is nearing and our local collection location is the Holt Road Wegmans. Clear out your medicine cabinet and help to keep Webster safe. See event details. Sign up to help out!
April 24 at 6:00 PM - Free Online Naloxone Training is available to local residents and naloxone kits will be mailed to those who complete the 1-hour online training. See details and register.
Webster Headlines
ABOVE: Photos from recent WHEN events: Marijuana & Beyond and Family Game Night. Use arrows to scroll through the album, and click on an image to see it larger. Thank you to Jen Calus and Linda Dioguardi for sharing their photos.
WHEN engaged Laura Crain to present “Marijuana & Beyond” to the community in four presentations designed for parents, behavioral health practitioners, and school district administrators. While parental attendance was less than we had hoped, the information was excellent and those who attended offered very positive feedback. We are thrilled that Webster Central School District invited her to present to all administrators. Photos are included in the slideshow above.
Linda Dioguardi spearheaded another fabulous Family Game Night at DeWitt Rd Elementary on 3/29. There were 98 in attendance and families were very appreciative of the fun evening event. It was also a great opportunity to share “fun facts” about WHEN between games, note our upcoming events, and gain newsletter subscribers. We are finding these events to be a valuable way to connect with families of younger children, who still have years to apply drug prevention strategies.
The WHEN Board of Directors is working on updating employee policies to ensure that we are in compliance with all NYS laws and best practices. Coalition members will vote on accepting the new policies at the Annual Meeting on 4/12.
WHEN is partnering with Webster Central PTSA on their “Locker Love” program, which was moved to April. We are working with them this month to share positive messages with middle and high schoolers. Shhh... this will be a surprise for students! Volunteers are needed to help put messages on lockers the evening of April 11. Sign up: Schroeder/GOAL | Thomas | Spry | Willink
PSA: URMC is offering Nicotine Dependence Treatment for all ages. In-person appointments, telehealth, and free Commit to Quit group sessions are all available. This is an amazing resource for our community and has the potential to help so many struggling with nicotine addiction. It's particularly beneficial to our youth population who have seen an increase in nicotine dependence, but have had few resources to help them quit.
Giving Back
Protective Factors: Opportunities for prosocial involvement in the community, opportunities for prosocial involvement in the family, interaction with prosocial peers
By WHEN member, Judi Swanson, LCSW~R
“To move forward you have to give back.” - Oprah Winfrey
Giving back and volunteering are essential actions we can take as individuals, families, and groups to support our community. From helping out a neighbor in need to participating in a volunteering activity, these actions provide benefits that create ripples of positivity throughout the community, including within yourself. When a person participates in an act of kindness, or even witnesses an act of kindness, our brains release chemicals that give people a “helper’s high.” An article in VeryWell Mind states, “Volunteering enables you to feel that you’re part of something greater than yourself.”
“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.” - John Holmes
Volunteering combats loneliness, improves mental and physical health, increases your social network, and saves our communities money. Parents.com shares, “Families who volunteer together provide a family bonding activity while strengthening a child's social skills, improving their empathy, increasing their well-being, and providing opportunities for a child to interact with people of a different background.” For everyone, giving back and volunteering provides a plethora of benefits to the individual and the community.
“Your greatness is not what you have. It’s what you give.”
- Unknown
The Webster community is rich with organizations who are doing amazing work to help meet the needs of residents and strengthen connections in our wonderful town. There are numerous choices for anyone seeking to volunteer, including WHEN. WHEN welcomes community members who want to become coalition members to help us in our mission of delaying, decreasing, and preventing substance use in our youth. We will also have a table at Webster PTSA’s Community Arts Day on Saturday, April 15, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m at Webster Schroeder High School, 875 Ridge Road. Please stop by and say hello!
Visit our table at Community Arts Day for a free bird watching guide, coloring pages and bird feeder craft!
Spotlight
Coalition member Lindsay Tomidy is in the spotlight this month for her ongoing support of coalition work. She has been quick to volunteer to help work the WHEN table, make connections with community partners, and deliver “Talk, Monitor, Secure” posters to area businesses. She has shared Monroe County Stop DWI giveaways and brings activities to local school districts to promote safe/non impaired driving.
Thank you for all your hard work, Lindsay!
Upcoming Meetings
We meet in person AND online via Google Meet the second Wednesday of each month at noon.
Register for the April 12 Annual Meeting.
NOTE: The April coalition meeting will be our Annual Meeting – an opportunity to review accomplishments of the past year, note plans for the coming year, and vote on any business matters. Please attend (virtually or in person) if you are able to. Lunch will be provided for those attending in person at NEQALS.
Reminder
Prom and Ball season is right around the corner. If someone you love will be participating in these events, please consider sharing our safety tips with them long before the event and use the opportunity to discuss your expectations, consequences, and most of all, support.