Today is the Great American Smokeout, a day designated by the American Cancer Society to urge people to quit tobacco use for the day or for good.
People who quit smoking live longer than those who continue to smoke. Smokers who quit substantially reduce their risk of premature death. Join the Great American Smokeout today! The argument that it is never to late to wuit smoke because the damage is already done is untrue.
For assistance in quitting smoking contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345 of Quitline Iowa at 1-800-quit-now.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
Home Pledges
Home Pledges will be mailed to parents/guardians starting this week. The pledges may also be viewed online at www.vbsafecoalition.com. Click on View a 2009/2010 SAFE Home Pledge in the middle of the page. You may also view a SAFE Home Pledge here.
If you have questions about the home pledge please feel free to contact the SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412.
If you have questions about the home pledge please feel free to contact the SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Prepare for the next coalition meeting
Coalition and Community Members:
The November working session is quickly appraoching. In order to make the most effective use of our time during this meeting there are a couple of things you can do to prepare for the meeting.
We will be discussing the final two local coniditions on our logic model:
- School staff turn a blind eye when they hear about parties and alcohol use.
- Parents allowing drinking to happen in their homes.
A copy of the logic model may be found here: Logic Model
Coalition members need to come up with interventions that fall into the 7 strategies for affecting change- focusing heavily on strategies 4-7.
Seven Strategies for Affecting Change:
1. Provide information
2. Enhance Skills
3. Provide Support
4. Reducing Access/Enhancing Barriers
5. Changing Consequences
6. Changing Physical Design
7. Change Policies
These will be entered into the stratgic and action plan which can be found here: SAFE Coalition Strategic and Action Plan
Please take some time to review these two documents and brainstorm some ideas for strategies that the coalition could implement around these two local conditions to affect change in our community.
If you have questions about this process please feel free to contact the SAFE Coalition office at 319-293-6412.
Thank you for your continued support of the coalition!
The November working session is quickly appraoching. In order to make the most effective use of our time during this meeting there are a couple of things you can do to prepare for the meeting.
We will be discussing the final two local coniditions on our logic model:
- School staff turn a blind eye when they hear about parties and alcohol use.
- Parents allowing drinking to happen in their homes.
A copy of the logic model may be found here: Logic Model
Coalition members need to come up with interventions that fall into the 7 strategies for affecting change- focusing heavily on strategies 4-7.
Seven Strategies for Affecting Change:
1. Provide information
2. Enhance Skills
3. Provide Support
4. Reducing Access/Enhancing Barriers
5. Changing Consequences
6. Changing Physical Design
7. Change Policies
These will be entered into the stratgic and action plan which can be found here: SAFE Coalition Strategic and Action Plan
Please take some time to review these two documents and brainstorm some ideas for strategies that the coalition could implement around these two local conditions to affect change in our community.
If you have questions about this process please feel free to contact the SAFE Coalition office at 319-293-6412.
Thank you for your continued support of the coalition!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Merchant Training
Dont forget the County Wide Merchant Training this week.
Location: Roberts Memorial Center
Date: October 28th
Time: 9am or 6pm
If your business is interested in this training but can not attend on this date, please contact the SAFE coalition to schedule a training date/time that will work for your employees. We want every business in the county to be trained!
Contact 319-288-0912 to RSVP or set up a training!
Location: Roberts Memorial Center
Date: October 28th
Time: 9am or 6pm
Does your business sell alcohol?
Do you have employees who need to be properly trained on how to check Id’s?
If you answered yes to these questions this training is for you! If your business has not been trained- it should be! This training will help your employees to understand the laws associated with alcohol sales, as well as the consequences for selling to a minor. This training will help protect your business!
This is a FREE training available to any businesses in Van Buren County, it will teach employees the proper procedures for checking an id, how to spot a fake id, and how to deal with intoxicated customers- new information added to the training- is information on energy drinks containing alcohol, information about laws, and new research.
At the conclusion of the training, free materials are provided for the business to keep on site. These materials included:
· Laminated reference sheets with recent laws and facts about the consequences of selling to minors
· Information on how to properly ID a customer
· Examples of what a proper ID looks like
· A copy of the presentation to keep on hand in order to train future employees
· Door and window stickers reminding patrons that they will be carded
If your business is interested in this training but can not attend on this date, please contact the SAFE coalition to schedule a training date/time that will work for your employees. We want every business in the county to be trained!
Contact 319-288-0912 to RSVP or set up a training!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Natural High 4 Video Available through the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition.
Through the words, actions and right choices made by some of today’s top professional athletes and musicians, Nixon and Natural High distributed the highly anticipated film “Natural High 4”, to every middle school in the country this September. Natural High 4, produced by Jon Sundt, features interviews with sober icons such as Paul Rodriguez Jr., Lisa Leslie, and Timmy Curran who enthusiastically share their decision to say “no” to drugs and alcohol and “yes” to a passion that got them naturally high.
Paul Rodriguez Jr., professional skateboarder and X-Games gold medalist tells kids in Natural High 4, “My natural high is skateboarding. Whatever it is you do, just accomplishing something after trying it for weeks, months, days, hours, and finally you land a trick, and finally you’re rolling away, it’s just amazing. It’s literally a buzz.” The goal of Paul and the rest of the athletes and musicians in Natural High 4 is to encourage kids to find that natural high, or passion that makes them feel good inside and can take the place of what drugs and alcohol fill in many other’s lives.
The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition has a copy of the video for viewing if anyone is interested in sharing it with a classroom, youth group or any student organization. Please contact 319-293-6412.
Paul Rodriguez Jr., professional skateboarder and X-Games gold medalist tells kids in Natural High 4, “My natural high is skateboarding. Whatever it is you do, just accomplishing something after trying it for weeks, months, days, hours, and finally you land a trick, and finally you’re rolling away, it’s just amazing. It’s literally a buzz.” The goal of Paul and the rest of the athletes and musicians in Natural High 4 is to encourage kids to find that natural high, or passion that makes them feel good inside and can take the place of what drugs and alcohol fill in many other’s lives.
The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition has a copy of the video for viewing if anyone is interested in sharing it with a classroom, youth group or any student organization. Please contact 319-293-6412.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Member??.... Become one!
If you are interested in making Van Buren County a SAFE place to live- We need you.
The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition is continually looking for members who have a passion to keep kids in the community SAFE and free of drugs, alcohol and tobacco.
If you are interested in becoming a part of this dynamic group we encourage you to join us. You may become a member in the following ways:
1) Fill out a new member form on the coalition website at www.vbsafecoalition.com
2) Attend a monthly meeting- held on the second tuesday of the month at 2pm at the Roberts Bldg.
3) Call the coalition office at 319-293-6412
The coalition is always in need of parents who can provide their perspective on these issues!
The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition is continually looking for members who have a passion to keep kids in the community SAFE and free of drugs, alcohol and tobacco.
If you are interested in becoming a part of this dynamic group we encourage you to join us. You may become a member in the following ways:
1) Fill out a new member form on the coalition website at www.vbsafecoalition.com
2) Attend a monthly meeting- held on the second tuesday of the month at 2pm at the Roberts Bldg.
3) Call the coalition office at 319-293-6412
The coalition is always in need of parents who can provide their perspective on these issues!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Iowa Youth Survey Has Arrived
The Iowa youth Survey is being administered this week at the Van Buren Community High School and will be administered next week at the Van Buren Middle School.
The Iowa Youth Survey is administered this year to all students in grades 6-12. The purpose of the survey is to collect information about Iowa youth, so we can better understand their beliefs, values and decisions about what makes them feel secure, strong, and safe in their communities, schools, and families. In addition, information is collected about their ideas on alcohol, tobacco, drugs, bullying and harassment, and violence prevention. The information collected will help the school, local community task forces, and the state put together valuable future programming. It is important to ask children to tell us what is good and working about their life in Iowa, and what needs improvement, in their eyes.
All participants are encouraged to be truthful when completing the survey as the results are used to get a good clear picture of the youth in the community. If you have questions about the Iowa Youth Survey please feel free to contact the school office.
The Iowa Youth Survey is administered this year to all students in grades 6-12. The purpose of the survey is to collect information about Iowa youth, so we can better understand their beliefs, values and decisions about what makes them feel secure, strong, and safe in their communities, schools, and families. In addition, information is collected about their ideas on alcohol, tobacco, drugs, bullying and harassment, and violence prevention. The information collected will help the school, local community task forces, and the state put together valuable future programming. It is important to ask children to tell us what is good and working about their life in Iowa, and what needs improvement, in their eyes.
All participants are encouraged to be truthful when completing the survey as the results are used to get a good clear picture of the youth in the community. If you have questions about the Iowa Youth Survey please feel free to contact the school office.
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