AUGUST 2025
Upcoming Events
8/13 12:00 p.m. - The August WHEN Coalition meeting will be online only. Please mark your calendar and register here for the link.
10/25 10:00 - 2:00 p.m. - Save the date for the October DEA Drug Take Back. Add it to your calendar now so you can start gathering up your unused, expired, or unwanted medication for safe disposal. More details coming soon.
Webster Headlines
Happy August birthdays to WHEN members:
Dave H., Lynne M., Jill W., Penny S., Colleen H., Judi S. and Kaitlyn C.
The Caring Community Concert with Allegro on the front lawn of the Webster United Church of Christ on July 23 included a free-will collection benefiting Webster Health & Education Network. Thank you to all who came out, it was such a fun evening! WHEN is very grateful for all donations.
WHEN’s Programming team will soon begin planning parent forums to take place in the coming school year on the topics of youth cell phone use and substance use prevention. Volunteers are welcome for brainstorming content and planning the events. Please contact Linda if you would like to join the planning efforts.
If you have seen cannabis in retail shops in Webster, please report it. There are no legal cannabis dispensaries in the Town or Village of Webster. To report an incident, contact the Webster Police Department and/or the Office of Cannabis Management.
Spotlight
We'd like to thank the Webster United Church of Christ for making WHEN the recipient of their July 23 Caring Community Concert proceeds! Your support is much appreciated, as is your beautiful tradition of hosting free concerts. These concerts benefit the community in multiple ways; they provide affordable, family-friendly recreation, a chance to gather with neighbors, and the free-will donations collected at the events support a variety of non-profits serving the Webster community. Genius!
Many thanks.
Imagine – Meeting the Challenge for Healthier Kids
By WHEN member Dana Buccieri, MEd
Where would life be without that $3 trillion device in our hot little hands? And yes, that is the value of this addiction-producing machine. The cell phone has infiltrated all of our lives so greatly, that one cannot really imagine a life without it. However, in about one month's time, a significant change in New York State will occur, becoming one of the largest states in the nation requiring a bell-to-bell restriction on internet enabled devices in K-12 schools.
I imagine a varying degree of parental perspectives in anticipation of the implementation of this new law, yet I cannot begin to imagine the tremendous burden this places on the administration and staff of each school building throughout our state.
Our hopes and dreams for our children are really universal in nature. We want them to be happy, independent, confident, self-sufficient, and self-reliant. We want them to be able to solve their own problems and manage themselves emotionally, socially, and someday, financially. All of this requires self-discipline and focus.
As parents of the school age generation(s), you likely grew up without a cell phone in your hand. So, you do not have to imagine this world; you know it. It may require really tapping into that memory bank of how you managed your life (or not)! How you were able to grow your confidence (despite being teased) and how you were able to avoid distraction so you could listen when needed.
Click to view a selection of slides from WHEN's 2025 parent forum: Social Media and Your Kid
Imagine the cell phone in your hand when you were school age. How would your lessons have been learned, how would your school life be different, would life have been harder or easier? Our children deserve less distraction and more attention. They deserve to have less interruption and more instruction. They deserve to feel more confident and become social beings with face to face communication. They deserve an easier pace with less pull toward the mundane and the inane. Imagine a world that is meeting their needs.
Imagine a community where we can make things better for our kids. Our future depends on their learning without the burden of constant drama and distraction. In our present politically polarized positions can we at least come together for our children and imagine a return to education in which the focus is on educating them? Let our teachers teach by supporting this law
During their school day, don’t call and don’t distract. Our kids will be ok; they will be in a building with 100 caring adults who truly do care about their well being. It is ok that they depend on their teachers and not you.
And a gentle reminder for all of us: we only teach our children what we model. If you would like more information about how best to support your child and their cell phone use, please visit https://www.whendfcc.org/resources. Thank you for all you do to support Webster kids and the work WHEN is doing in our community.
Upcoming Meetings
Next Coalition meeting is
Wednesday, August 13 at noon.
Click here for details and to register.
Typically, 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 the July Coalition Meeting Minutes.
Reminders
Check out Operation Parent for a library of videos addressing so many parenting challenges. You are not alone and there is a wealth of great information at your fingertips!