NOVEMBER 2023
Upcoming Events
Nov 4, 10:00 - 12:00 - WHEN will have a table at the Family Scavenger Hunt taking place at Webster Parks and Recreation. Bring the kids and come out for a day of family fun! Be sure to stop by our table for a free snack. We could really use some help at this event. Please sign up here to volunteer a couple of hours.
We will soon be working on the second round of our grant application in order to fund another 5 years of our work in Webster. Can you help? Please contact Janine if you are able to join the grant team which will primarily work February through April.
We are currently booking Family Game Nights with local schools. Contact us if you would like us to bring Candy Bar BINGO to you. We bring everything, you just supply the space and families, and get ready for a lot of fun!
Webster Headlines
There's so much good news to share this month, we hardly know where to begin!
We were thrilled to learn recently that the Webster Village Board has decided not to repeal their opt-out of cannabis sales at this time. Thank you to all who voiced your concerns both at board meetings as well as by signing our petition. We will continue to be vigilant on this issue, as both the village and town have the ability to repeal their opt-out status at any time. If this is an issue you are passionate about, be sure to keep any eye on their meeting agendas to know if/when it comes up again, and be sure your name is on our petition.
There are three new publicly available NaloxBoxes in Webster, thanks in part to WHEN’s advocacy. Learn more and see photos on the North East Joint Fire District website.
The addresses are:
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Enderlin Station (#1) 35 South Ave
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Roseland Station (#2) 1391 Salt Rd
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North Station (#3) 600 Phillips Rd
Learn more about naloxone and where you can find it locally here.
Webster’s DEA Drug Take-Back event on October 28 collected 216 pounds of unused prescription medication from Webster area households. Thank you to all who participated. The next national Take-Back day is in April. In the meantime, you can visit the ecopark website for information about the pharmaceuticals they accept, including sharps. Or use the drop box at CVS or Walgreens.
WHEN was featured as the Webster Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Month for October! Check out the lovely article they wrote about WHEN.
WHEN member, MSgt Joseph Seaver, Counter Drug Task Force, U.S. Air Force trained two full classes of WCSD staff on the proper use of naloxone/Narcan at a recent district event.
Red Ribbon Week stats: 270+ Schroeder students signed red ribbons on October 24. We welcomed more than 225 unique visitors to our free, online Red Ribbon Week Kit this year, and our social media messages reached 5,648 viewers. Thank you for bringing Red Ribbon Week to Schroeder HS, Stacie!
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.
Kindness Helps to Build Protective Factors for our Kids
“Protective factors are conditions or attributes in individuals, families, and communities that promote the health and well-being of children and families.” - ChildWelfare.gov
Kindness can build these protective factors: opportunities for prosocial involvement in the community, family, and school, attachment and bonding to the family, opportunities for prosocial involvement in the school, and interaction with prosocial peers.
By WHEN member, Judi Swanson, LCSW~R
Alison Malee said, “Ah, kindness. What a simple way to tell another struggling soul that there is love to be found in the world.” Kindness is an action we take from smiling at a stranger, volunteering, or cooking a meal for someone going through a difficult time. When we “pay it forward” by treating the person waiting behind you with a free cup of coffee, that is being kind. Kindness is when we intentionally help out someone by being generous, giving, thoughtful, and caring.
“Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness.” - Seneca
An article in Scientific America states, “Scientists who study happiness know that being kind to others can improve well-being, yet people who engage in random acts of kindness may not fully recognize the impact of their behavior on others.” Kindness creates a significant brain boost by releasing feel good chemicals which occur when a person does an act of kindness, receiving kindness, and even to anyone witnessing an act of kindness. The same article states, “Given that these warm gestures can enhance our own mood and brighten the day of another person, why not choose kindness when we can?”
“Be the reason someone feels welcome, seen, heard, valued, loved, and supported.” - Unknown
November 13, 2023, is World Kindness Day, but why wait? Kindness does not have to cost anything. You can call or text a family member or friend to say how much you appreciate them, rake leaves for a neighbor-in-need, make a meal or bake a cake for someone just because, smile at a stranger, or volunteer. All of it creates ripples of positivity for you and everyone whom your kindness touches. Kindness is embedded in all WHEN initiatives and activities. We appreciate the kindness shown to us by Webster community members who help out by volunteering with WHEN, invite WHEN to join them at events, or come out to participate at events. We feel the community's support in the work we do to help our children and teenagers be resilient and healthy.
Spotlight
Webster Town Councilwoman Patti Cataldi has been a WHEN member since 2019, and has collaborated with us time and time again to support Webster families. Most recently, Patti helped coordinate a new Drug Take Back location at the Webster Justice Court, offering Webster residents a convenient opportunity to safely dispose of unwanted medication, and helping to keep our community safe. Thank you Patti!
Upcoming Meetings
Our next meeting is Wednesday, November 8 at noon. Register here to receive details for both in-person and online options.
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. If you missed the last meeting, view it via the link below. We plan to make the most recent meeting available on our website going forward.
Read last month's Coalition Meeting Minutes.
Reminder
November is Lung Cancer Awareness month. Here are some tips for talking to kids about vaping. It’s important for young people to know that particulates and chemicals from these products harm lung health. It may be helpful to remind kids that lung health is critical to achieving their goals, especially for athletes.
For those wanting to quit, here are some resources to help: URMC is offering Nicotine Dependence Treatment for all ages. In-person appointments, telehealth, and free Commit to Quit group sessions are all available, and online resources include https://teen.smokefree.gov/ and https://truthinitiative.org/thisisquitting