JULY 2024
Upcoming Events
7/10 12:00-1:00 PM – July WHEN Coalition Meeting - Everyone is welcome to join us in person or online. See details/register. Catch up by reading the June meeting minutes.
7/13 8:30-12:00 – Drug Take Back + Electronics Recycling Event - See details and RSVP to get an email reminder. (NOTE: registration required here for electronics recycling only.)
7/21 2:00-6:00 PM - Parenting Village Family Fest 2024 WHEN is planning to have a table at this event. Please sign up to help out!
7/24 6:00-8:00 PM - Uptown Groove outdoor concert on front lawn of the Webster United Church of Christ with optional free will collection benefiting Webster Health & Education Network! Concessions open at 6:00, music from 6:30 - 8:00. See their flyer for more information. Volunteer for this fun event!
8/20 6:00-8:00 PM – Webster HOPE Back-to-School Event. WHEN has been invited to set up a table for kids to do a craft and to share information with parents while they wait to get into the HOPE house to pick up back-to-school supplies. This was a blast last year, and we were able to speak with so many wonderful parents. Sign up to help out here.
8/21 12:00-1:00 PM – *August WHEN Coalition Meeting has been rescheduled* from 8/14 to 8/21 at noon. Please mark your calendars! See details/register.
Webster Headlines
A very happy birthday to these WHEN members celebrating in July:
Ashley B., Audra W., Brian M., Robin D., Katie K. and George H.
Congrats to Kristen H., our latest recipient of a free pizza for subscribing to our newsletter from our protective factor pizza box QR codes! Many thanks to our community partners, Rhinos Pizzeria, Mark's Pizzeria and Guida's Pizzeria for continuing to share information about protective factors by putting stickers on their pizza boxes.
WHEN presented to the Webster Chamber of Commerce on 6/28 and shared with them our mission and plans for the year ahead. We used the opportunity to invite Chamber members to partner with us in future programs and to become WHEN members.
Experiencing Nature
“Protective factors are conditions or attributes in individuals, families, and communities that promote the health and well-being of children and families.” - ChildWelfare.gov
Experiencing nature produces these protective factors: attachment and bonding to family, peers, and community; development of social and emotional control; and opportunities for prosocial involvement in the family and community.
By WHEN member, Judi Swanson, LCSW~R
“There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature - the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter.” - Rachel Carson
The wind, the trees, the birds, the bees are some of the many ways nature surrounds us every day. When fireflies glow, breezes blow, and even the falling of snow, a plethora of positives happen for our well-being and soul. The benefits of being in nature (supported by research), are significant. Depression and anxiety decrease and the ability to cope with stress improves. Mentally, emotionally, and physically we benefit from being in and experiencing nature.
“A walk in nature walks the soul back home.” - Mary Davis
An American Psychological Association article states, “From a stroll through a city park to a day spent hiking in the wilderness, exposure to nature has been linked to a host of benefits, including improved attention, lower stress, better mood, reduced risk of psychiatric disorders and even upticks in empathy and cooperation.” When you take a walk in one of the many parks we live near, listen to the Lake Ontario waves crash, watch the leaves fall, experience the newness of a spring flower, or even experience a snowstorm, these moments, which nature provides for free, help bring calm to your brain and body. They even provide opportunities for shared experiences and connection. When a magical rainbow happens and you are around others the tendency is to say, “Do you see the rainbow?” while we ooh and ahh collectively about its beauty.
“Fresh air is as good for the mind as for the body. Nature always seems to be trying to talk to us as if she had some great secret to tell. And so she has.”- John Lubbock
The Village and Town of Webster have hundreds of acres of park land along with Lake Ontario as part of our nature community. These free, beautiful places and spaces can be explored by all. Taking time to be with family, friends, and yourself in nature provides opportunities to connect and build experiences. Even a conversation of what a cloud looks like helps to make memories. Friends of Webster Trails is an amazing non-profit organization that works diligently to make trails “worth walking.” Take time for yourself, or with family, friends, and neighbors to experience nature, gaze at the clouds, listen to the rain, or feel the warmth of the sun on your face. WHEN believes these healthy activities help to foster resilient children, teenagers, individuals, and families, strengthening and helping our community bloom just like the nature that surrounds us.
Spotlight
WHEN would like to publicly thank Webster United Church of Christ for making it the beneficiary of one of their wildly popular Caring Community Concerts.
The annual summer concert series benefits Webster community organizations through free will donations collected at each event.
Please come out and join in the fun this summer! Read about their concert line-up here and be sure to join us Wednesday, July 24 from 6:00-8:00 PM at 570 Klem Road to hear Uptown Groove and support WHEN.
Upcoming Meetings
Our next meeting is Wednesday, July 10 at noon. Register here to receive details for both in-person and online options.
PLEASE NOTE: THE NEW DATE FOR OUR AUGUST MEETING IS AUG 21 AT NOON.
We meet in person AND online via Google Meet the second Wednesday of each month at noon. Many of us join during our lunch break. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate. In fact, our goal is to have representation from all walks of life, to better meet the needs of the whole community.
Read last month's Coalition Meeting Minutes.
Reminders
Parenting resource: Many of the parents attending our “Navigating the Tween Years” noted that they are in search of specific guidance about many issues that come up in the Tween years. Another valuavle resource we’d like to share with you is Center for Parent and Teen Communication article, "Teens Need Their Parents: Tips for Staying Positively Engaged".