Celebrating Success

The Van Buren County Law Enforcement and YLC members were honored at the SAFE Coalition’s Celebrating Success event held on Thursday, March 22nd in Keosauqua.
The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition supports the law enforcement heroes that work to keep our streets and communities safe. The work of the Van Buren County Sheriff’s department and Reserve Officers contributes to the overall success of the coalition in reducing underage drinking.

Iowa Youth Survey Data from Van Buren County 11th grade students (2005-2010) shows:
• a decrease of 17% in past 30 day alcohol use
• a decrease of 9% in binge drinking (5 or more drinks of alcohol in a row)
Other reductions related to underage drinking in Van Buren County include:
• Alcohol compliance checks were implemented with compliance rates going from 87% compliant at inception to 92% and 100% compliant in the checks over the last year.
• Underage alcohol possession violations have decreased from 36 in 2006 to 5 in 2011

Honored at this event was Sheriff Danny Tedrow for his support of the SAFE Coalition and his commitment to enforcing underage drinking laws in our community. The coalition also recognized the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Reserve Officers for the work they have done to support reducing underage drinking. Activities of the Reserve Officers include; compliance checks with merchants who sell alcohol, prevention programming in the middle school, extra patrols at special events and festivals in the community, patrols at special events connected to the school districts and holding prescription drug take back day.

Outstanding youth were also honored at this event by the SAFE Coalition:
Drew Nolting was recognized for his involvement at the state level with the I-STEP (Iowa Students for Tobacco Education and Prevention) organization and a member of the state executive council to address youth related issues across the state.

Emily Jester was recognized for her involvement with the Office of National Drug Control’s Above the Influence Media campaign. Emily won the “Be It” slogan contest with her slogan “Don’t be ashamed to speak”. This slogan will be used on a local media campaign that will include; a billboard, a painted mural, posters and radio and TV advertisements.

Cassie Johnson was recognized for her award from the State of Iowa’s Students Taking Charge initiative. Cassie submitted a video about how her school was healthy. Her video won 4th runner up and $500 for her to use in her school to make additional improvements to health and wellness.
The Law Enforcement and YLC members that were honored at this event have shown exemplary service in keeping the community safe. They have made a commitment to help change the community norm and reduce underage drinking in Van Buren County. We invite you to congratulate those honored for a job well done!

Thank you for those who assisted with the event and those who attended to receive the important message that underage drinking in Van Buren County is unacceptable. For more information on the SAFE Coalition please feel free to contact the office at 319-293-6412 or via email at info@vbsafecoalition.com.

Clear the Smoke: Teach them how to say NO!

Developing open and trusting communication with all youth is essential to helping them avoid marijuana use. Talk to the kids you know about the reasons not to use marijuana. Teach them ways to handle situations where others are using marijuana. Let them know the consequences and praise them for doing the right thing.

Local information shows that Marijuana use in the past 30 days is up for both 6th grade students (0% to 2%) and 8th grade students (0% to 5%) and down for 11th grade students (6% to 3%) in Van Buren County from 2005 to 2010 as reported on the Iowa Youth Survey; 5% of Van Buren County 11th graders report that they don’t think their parents would think it was wrong for them to smoke marijuana and Almost half (49%) of Van Buren County 11th graders report it is easy or very easy to get marijuana. (Iowa Youth Survey 2010)

Research shows that today's pot is addictive and causes harm to developing brains and lungs. The marijuana of today is stronger than ever before.

Marijuana use can lead to many negative consequences, including bad grades, broken friendships, family problems, trouble with the law, etc. Marijuana use can weaken the ability to concentrate and retain information during a teen's peak learning years, and impair judgment leading to risky decision making that could involve sex or getting into a car with someone under the influence of drugs.

More teens are in treatment with a primary diagnosis of marijuana dependence than for all other illegal drugs combined. (TEDS, SAMHSA, October 2001) Kids are using marijuana at an earlier age. In the late 1960s fewer than half of those using marijuana for the first time were under 18. In 2006, about 64 percent of marijuana users were younger than 18. (SAMHSA, 2006)

Smoking marijuana leads to changes in the brain that are similar to those caused by cocaine, heroin, or alcohol. (Marijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know, Revised, NIDA, November 1998) Parents need to know the facts about marijuana. Setting rules and enforcing them can make all the difference in teens' lives.

• Youths who are not regularly monitored by their parents are four times more likely to use drugs. (Metzler, Rusby and Biglan. Community builders for success: monitoring after-school activities. Oregon Research Institute, 1999)

• Parents are the most powerful influence on their kids when it comes to drugs. Two-thirds of youth ages 13-17 say losing their parents' respect is one of the main reasons they don't smoke marijuana or use other drugs. (Partnership for a Drug-Free America Attitude Tracking Study, 2002)

• Parental disapproval plays a strong role in turning back drug use. In 2004, youths who believed that their parents would strongly disapprove of marijuana use had rates over 80 percent lower than those whose parents would not strongly disapprove (5.1 percent use vs. 30 percent use rates). (National Survey on Drug Use and Health 2004. SAMHSA, 2005)

• Kids who learn about the risks of marijuana and other illicit drugs from their parents are far less likely to use drugs. (Greenblat, J. Self-reported behaviors and their association with marijuana use. SAMHSA. Based on data from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1994-1996)

Talk to the kids you know about the reasons not to use marijuana. Teach them ways to handle situations where others are using marijuana. Establish consequences and praise them for doing the right thing. Tell them what you think. Set rules and enforce them. It’s everyone’s job to STOP marijuana use!

For more information on this or other substance abuse issues please contact the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or info@vbsafecoalition.com.

Plan to Attend Celebrating Success

Van Buren County SAFE Coalition will hold “Celebrating Success” – a Town Hall Meeting with parents, students, law enforcement, community members and health professionals to discuss underage drinking prevention. Everyone is invited to attend!

WHO: Keynote Speaker for the event will be Travis Bruyer of the Flathead Valley Alcohol Enforcement Team.

WHAT: Celebrating Success will recognize Van Buren County Sherriff Danny Tedrow and the Van Buren County Sherriff’s Reserve Officers for their contributions to the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition and in reducing underage drinking in Van Buren County.

Youth Awards will be presented for youth who have been recognized both state-wide and nationally for their efforts to reduce underage drinking in their community.

A panel of experts will be available to answer questions from the audience related to underage drinking and underage drinking enforcement.

WHEN: Thursday, March 22, 2012. Dinner will be served at 5:30pm with the presentation beginning at 6:00pm.

WHERE: Roberts Memorial Center- Keosauqua

ADDITIONAL INFO: Free childcare will be provided
Door Prizes will be given away
Extra-credit is being offered by select teachers for attendance at the event.
Concession Stand Credit will be offered to Van Buren students in Attendance

Underage drinking is a pressing public health concern that affects the health and well-being of our nation’s youth, their families and our community. In 2010, about 10 million, or one in every four, 12- to 20-year-olds reported using alcohol during the previous month, although it is illegal for them to do so. On the 2010 Iowa Youth Survey 11th grade students reported that 36% did have at least one drink of alcohol and that 77% of them believe it would be easy to very easy to get alcohol in the Van Buren County area. Underage drinking contributes to a range of costly health and social problems, including traffic fatalities, suicide, physical and sexual assault, brain impairment, alcohol dependence, academic problems and alcohol and drug poisoning. Underage drinking costs U.S. citizens an estimated $62.0 billion in 2010 for related medical care, work loss and associated pain and suffering.

For additional information about the event please contact the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or email at info@vbsafecoalition.com

For more information about the national 2012 Town Hall Meeting initiative, which is expected to involve more than 2,000 communities, please visit: http://www.stopalcoholabuse.gov/townhallmeetings.

Smokers Urged to Quit during Kick Butts Day

Van Buren YLC Encourages Smokers to Kick the Deadly Habit

Wednesday, March 21st is a day for smokers nationwide to unite and kick the deadly habit of smoking. The Van Buren County YLC members encourage smokers to quit for a lifetime by starting with just one day.

Today more Americans than ever understand the dangers associated with tobacco use and a record 46 million adults have kicked the habit and are now former smokers. Still, one and four adults are current smokers, and lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death. This year in Iowa more than 1,790 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer and more than 1,700 will die from the disease.

Smoking remains the most preventable cause of death in the U.S., but there are resources available to help people quit. Quitline Iowa utilizes science-based resources that double a caller’s chances of quitting for good, including trained tobacco cessation specialists available 24 hours a day. If you’re serious about quitting or helping someone else quit, call 1.800.QUIT NOW (1.800.784.8669) and ask for help.

The Van Buren YLC members spent Friday cleaning up the city park in Keosauqua in preparation for kick butts day. The members received permission from the city council and have asked them to make this a smoke free area in the community. Secondhand smoke is dangerous for young children and should not be allowed in an area where kids play. The students filled two- gallon zip lock baggies with cigarette butts found in the park. They also picked up trash and other debris they found littering the playground area. The YLC members will put their findings on display in the Community First Bank window to remind the community of the dangers of secondhand smoke and encourage those who use tobacco to quit! They also hope that their hard work will motivate people to refrain from smoking while in the city park and more importantly to carry out any trash when visiting the park. For more information about the YLC program or their initiatives check them out on the web http://ylc.vbsafecoalition.com or you may contact us at 319-293-6412.

Kick Butts Day

What is Kick Butts Day? Kick Butts Day is March, 21 2012, a day when thousands of youth in every state and around the world stand out, speak up and seize control against Big Tobacco.

Van Buren County Youth Leadership Council (YLC) has a number of activities planned for Kick Butts Day and wants to bring awareness to the dangers of secondhand smoke. For non-smokers breathing secondhand smoke has immediate and harmful effects on the cardiovascular system that can increase the risk for heart attack. In children secondhand smoke can cause the following: Ear infections, more frequent and severe asthma attacks, coughing, sneezing, shortness of breath, respiratory infections and a greater risk for SIDS. There is no risk-free level of contact with secondhand smoke; even brief exposure can be harmful to one’s health.

On Friday, March 16 Van Buren High School members will be completing a Cigarette Butt Cleanup event in the Keosauqua City Park. They are then taking their findings on March 21st to Community First Bank and creating a display for the front window to help promote a “Clean Park” for all the residents to enjoy. On Tuesday, March 20th a group will be doing a radio interview focused on Kick Butts Day. Lastly, on March 21st a group of members will be attending the School Board meeting to present their finds from Kick Butts Day as well as presenting on other resent events.

Harmony Middle School youth are planning an event on Wednesday, March 21. They have created Door Knob Hangers with tobacco facts, Quitline Iowa information and information on the new Harmony Tobacco Policy. They will then be hanging these on door knobs on houses in Farmington and Bonaparte. They will also be hanging posters around both towns to promote Quitline Iowa.

To learn more about what the Van Buren County Youth Leadership Council is working on you can go to www.ylc.vbsafecoalition.com or contact the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or info@vbsafecoalition.com

FREE Training Opportunity- Alcohol Enforcement

The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition will be hosting a FREE training related to alcohol enforcement efforts on March 23rd. This training is open to anyone in the area who is interested in learning about alcohol enforcement efforts.

Training topics will include:
*Alcohol Enforcement Policies and Procedures
* Alcohol Enforcement Strategies (shoulder taps, compliance checks, controlled party dispersal)
* Multi-jurisdictional alcohol enforcement concept

This training is open to anyone who works with youth to prevent underage drinking. Intended audience includes: Law Enforcement, State Patrol, Judges, Attorneys, DNR officers, Coalition Members, School Personnel, and School Resource Officers.

DATE: Friday, March 23rd
TIME: 8:00 am – 12:00 noon
LOCATION: Roberts Memorial Center- Keosauqua, IA

The trainer for the event is Travis Bruyer of the Flathead County Alcohol Enforcement Team. Mr. Bruyer was assigned to the Detective Division of the Flathead Valley Montana Sheriffs Department in 2005, as the Alcohol Enforcement Team Coordinator (AET). At that time, the Flathead Valley claimed one of the highest youth underage drinking rates in the United States. Establishing a model Alcohol Enforcement Team, the Flathead County Alcohol Enforcement Team began an all out assault on illegal alcohol use. Utilizing the most successful environmental and legal strategies, and working in conjunction with the Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center. The program has become widely viewed as a nationwide community model. Since 2005, the Flathead County Alcohol Enforcement Team has received national recognition for its efforts in addressing the issue of underage drinking, by the Office of Juvenile Justice, the Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center, and the American Council on Criminal Justice Training. The AET increased the Flathead Valley’s Compliance Rate from 40% - 70% within the first year of implementation. Nearly four thousand underage drinking arrests have been made since the inception of the Flathead AET.

Travis is responsible for helping communities establish law enforcement priorities to fight underage drinking and to establish community Alcohol Enforcement Teams (AET).

Registration is required for this event as lunch will be provided. For more information or to register for the training, please contact the SAFE Coalition via email at: info@vbsafecoalition.com or by phone at 319-293-6412.

Celebrating Success

Van Buren County SAFE Coalition in collaboration with the federal government’s Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking will hold “Celebrating Success” – a Town Hall Meeting with parents, students, law enforcement, community members and health professionals to discuss underage drinking prevention. Everyone is invited to attend!

Underage drinking is a pressing public health concern that affects the health and well-being of our nation’s youth, their families and our community. In 2010, about 10 million, or one in every four, 12- to 20-year-olds reported using alcohol during the previous month, although it is illegal for them to do so. On the 2010 Iowa Youth Survey 11th grade students reported that 36% did have at least one drink of alcohol and that 77% of them believe it would be easy to very easy to get alcohol in the Van Buren County area. Underage drinking contributes to a range of costly health and social problems, including traffic fatalities, suicide, physical and sexual assault, brain impairment, alcohol dependence, academic problems and alcohol and drug poisoning. Underage drinking costs U.S. citizens an estimated $62.0 billion in 2010 for related medical care, work loss and associated pain and suffering.

WHO: Keynote Speaker for the event will be Travis Bruyer of the Flathead Valley Alcohol Enforcement Team.

WHAT: Celebrating Success will recognize Van Buren County Sherriff Danny Tedrow and the Van Buren County Sherriff’s reserve officers for their contributions to the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition and in reducing underage drinking in Van Buren County. Youth Awards will be presented for youth who have been recognized both state-wide and nationally for their efforts to reduce underage drinking in their community.

WHEN: Thursday, March 22, 2012. Dinner will be served at 5:30pm with the presentation beginning at 6:00pm.

WHERE: Roberts Memorial Center.

ADDITIONAL INFO: Free childcare will be provided

For additional information about the event please contact the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or email at info@vbsafecoalition.com

For more information about the national 2012 Town Hall Meeting initiative, which is expected to involve more than 2,000 communities, please visit: http://www.stopalcoholabuse.gov/townhallmeetings.

Students Taking Charge

By: Cassie Johnson

On Friday, March 2nd four Van Buren County YLC members, Drew Nolting, Jessica Hartman, Carson Schuck and I (Cassie Johnson) attended “Students Taking Charge” a workshop for high school students held at the DMACC Campus in Ankeny. This workshop was to provide students with information on nutrition, physical activity and tobacco prevention knowledge. Many organizations came together to teach us healthy ways to live or lives (Team Nutrition, Iowa State Extension Services, I-Step, and SIYAC) for this daylong event.

The first part of our day we were broken up into groups where we were taught how to use pedometers, what the sugar content is in our favorite drinks, what protein is, how much water consumption we should be getting and information on calories. These sessions gave us a chance to experience and calculate our knowledge we learned.

The lunch at this workshop went right along with promoting a healthy lifestyle with salads and whole grain pasta and cookies.

Cassie: I think this workshop was very beneficial in being able to bring what I learned back to my school. I got to debate against a topic which was really fun. As one of my optional sessions to attend I chose to try a Pilates, it was challenging and took a lot of core strength. I hope to be able to build a Pilates club at our school.

Carson: My favorite part of the conference was the session given by Catalyst (a Minnesota youth movement that is working to get healthy food in schools, be more active and not support tobacco industry) where they showed us a combination of restaurant foods and we had to choose which one we felt was the healthier choice. It surprised me which ones were really healthier.

Drew: I presented as an Executive Council member of I-Step (a youth organization, with the sole purpose of educating society about the dangers of tobacco) on street marketing. Street marketing is a technique where people broadcast a point of view about a certain topic with a group or by themselves. Some of the examples we presented were: making posters, cups in the fence, sticker shock and various others. The group I presented to was made up of around 40 high school youth from across the state of Iowa.

Jessica: My favorite part of the “Students Taking Change” workshop was actually two of the breakouts and meeting with new people. We had time to talk with other youth where I was able to make some new friends. I liked the way they had the presentations and the order they had everything in. So I guess you could say I didn’t exactly have a favorite part but felt the whole workshop was very beneficial.

For more information on the Van Buren County Youth Leadership Council (YLC) or this event please contact the coalition office at 319-293-6412 or via email at info@vbsafecoalition.com.