JUNE 2022
Upcoming Events
6/28 8:30 PM Bring the kids to see "Trolls"! The Webster BID’s 6/28 Family Movie Night at the gazebo will be sponsored by WHEN and we'll be handing out free snacks. We need help planning for this event as well as a few volunteers for the evening. Volunteers are welcome to leave when the movie starts (at dark) or – even better – stay and watch the movie with your family! Sign up here.
7/29 6:00-9:00 PM WHEN is sponsoring the Webster BID’s 7/29 Family Game Night in the village. If you are able to help plan this event or work WHEN's “Planting Positivity” table, please sign up here.
August (TBD) Help us plan and orchestrate a Phillips Village Community Event! We’d like to set up an ice cream truck, yard games, invite the library, have tattoos or face painting, run our “Planting Positivity” table, etc. Add your name to the Sign Up to help plan or work at the event. We'll reach out to volunteers with more details. We are also seeking suggestions for a name for this event, preferably something that includes "WHEN" and would be appropriate should we make this an annual event. Email suggestions to Jen or share them at the next coalition meeting on June 8th at noon.
Summer (TBD) Help us put together a Family Trail Hike in partnership with Friends of Webster Trails this summer. It will be a great opportunity for all of us to get out and see each other in person! Sign up here to help.
Webster Headlines
DWI Mock Crash Demonstrations
WHEN was pleased to participate in the WCSD's Mock Crash Demo at Thomas HS, where we handed out party safety tips to students. We will repeat the program at Schroeder HS on Thursday at 9:30 AM. Please email Janine if you would like to help out. Many thanks to the school district, Webster Police, EMS and all involved in coordinating these meaningful events, as well as our volunteers; Steve, Sharon, Krista, Lindsay & Joe.
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"We Care" Poster Campaign in Secondary Schools
Last month, WHEN supplied posters to the WCSD middle and high schools encouraging kids facing challenges to reach out to a trusted adult and promoting the Safe School Helpline. This can be a stressful time of year for students, so we want them to know how to ask for help. We are hoping to expand on this program in the fall.
"Have Fun, Be Safe" Party Safety
You may have noticed our recent “Have Fun, Be Safe” safety tips for prom, ball and grad parties on social media. Please like and share them with your contacts so they are widely circulated throughout the community. Safety concerns don’t end with high school, so parents may also like to check out this resource about underage drinking after high school to help kids remain healthy and safe as young adults.
Coalition Meeting Notes
Catch up on the latest WHEN activity and reports by reading last month’s coalition meeting notes here.
Prevention Tip: Daily Gratitude
Eckhart Tolle said, “Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for abundance.” Sometimes taking moments to have an attitude of gratitude are few and far between. Yet a regular practice of gratitude has a multitude of positive outcomes for your mental health and physical health.
“Gratitude paints little smiley faces on all it touches.” - Richelle E. Goodrich
Our amazing brains develop and respond to the information we put into it. An article in Brain Balance Centers shared the result of researchers measuring brain activity of people thinking and feeling gratitude. Researchers found that “gratitude causes synchronized activation in multiple brain regions, and lights up parts of the brain's reward pathways and the hypothalamus. In short, gratitude can boost neurotransmitter serotonin and activate the brain stem to produce dopamine." Dopamine is our brain's pleasure chemical. Gratitude helps you feel good!
“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by the spark of another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” - Albert Schweitzer
How to Get Started:
Developing a daily practice of gratitude is good for you and everyone around you. Taking time to reflect upon the people and things you appreciate builds a foundation of positivity. You can write down what you are grateful for in a journal or think about it while brushing your teeth. Perhaps a dinner time routine could be for everyone to list three positive things in their day. Kidshealth.org says practicing gratitude is about “feeling good and creating a cycle of good.”
At WHEN, we are grateful for the support of and help from everyone. None of this goodness would be possible without you.
Upcoming Meetings
We meet 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.
Our next meeting is Wednesday, June 8, at noon. Simply register here to receive the meeting link, or email Janine Sanger, Executive Director for more information.
Reminder
WHEN is participating in or organizing several community events this summer and we need your help! We will need both planners and event staff for each, so please check your schedule and sign up to help out with one or more of our upcoming events. WHEN is a volunteer organization and our impact is limited to our collective participation. Please try to find some time to get involved, your effort is much appreciated!