|
Dear Ruth,
Welcome to the premier edition of Prevention
Connections’ bi-monthly e-newsletter.
I continue to be amazed at the transformation and
growth of this coalition and Drug-Free Communities
grant program. I am very proud to be Project
Coordinator for this endeavor and will continue to do
whatever I can to assist and further its vision and
goals!
When I reflect on how this coalition began, I am
reminded of sitting in the Lexus Diner in Newburgh,
New York, and hearing about the “Red Ribbon
Week” campaign for the first time. I learned
about Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, the
Dedicated Drug Enforcement Agent, father, husband,
son, brother and friend who was kidnapped, tortured
and murdered by the marijuana growers he had
infiltrated in Mexico. Those closest to Kiki can tell
you how fervently he believed in the power of one
and our shared responsibility to make a difference in
our communities.
The second part of the story was equally powerful.
A group of high school students, teachers, and
community members from Kiki’s small Southern
California hometown met on the front steps of the
local high school. In their outrage over this tragedy,
each wore a red ribbon in his honor and vowed that
his death and life would not be in vain.
What began as a small, public display of grief and
love for their fallen hero soon became a National
campaign supported by the National Family
Partnership. For over fifteen years, Red Ribbon Week
celebrations and activities throughout this country
and abroad continue to celebrate the power of
communities and our individual choice to be part of a
solution.
Upon hearing this story, the Ulster County Red
Ribbon Coalition was born! As many of you can attest
to, there were years where we met in diners or the
backroom at Deising’s to discuss how we were going
to carry the message.
One event brought us to the next and so on, and so
on. As support grew, so did our numbers.
Now, ten years later,
we have a
federal Drug-Free Communities grant to help us
continue our work to make a difference in our
community. We have more resources than ever
before, and I am not referring to the financial ones
that serve an important purpose. I am referring to
each one of you. I thank you for sharing your
valuable time and energy as we work together to
make our goals and vision happen.
This e-newsletter is an exciting opportunity to get
the word out to the Ulster County communities we
serve and share valuable information with our
members. Please share your ideas and suggestions as
to how we can improve over time. We hope you
enjoy this premier E-news edition.
Help us spread the word
Please pass this newsletter on to others who may
benefit from its contents by clicking on the "Forward
E-mail" link at the bottom of the page. This link will
allow your friends, colleagues, etc. to receive the
bulletin in its entirety.
Sincerely,
Betsy Sinsapaugh, MSW
Project Coordinator
| WORKSHOPS & TRAININGS |
 |
|
First Responder's Training
Captain Richard Nuzzo from the New York State
Police will be providing two workshops at S.U.N.Y.
Ulster's Business Resource Center, Room #114, on
Friday, September 16th.
The first workshop,for law
enforcement personnel only, will take place from 8:30
a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
The second workshop, for
emergency personnel (fire, ambulance & hospital) and
crisis workers, will be from 1:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Please RSVP by calling (845) 338-0338, by
September 12th.
Community Methamphetamine
Workshop
Prevention Connections and S.U.N.Y. Ulster are proud
to present, “Meth: The Country’s Modern Drug
Epidemic.”
A methamphetamine awareness and prevention
workshop with Cheryl Kyle from the Butte County
Methamphetamine Strike Force in Northern California.
This FREE workshop will be held on Friday, October
28th, in Vanderlyn Hall - Student Lounge, at the
Ulster County Community College in Stone Ridge, New
York.
Please RSVP by calling (845)338-0338, by
October 21st.
|
| MEMBER CONTRIBUTIONS |
|
|
TOBACCO
Submitted by: REALITY CHECK's Youth
Action Coordinator, Heather Ohlson
REALITY CHECK of Dutchess and Ulster just wrapped
up the Shady Ad Tour at the K-FEST concert located
at the Dutchess County Stadium June 5th. Over the
past three months, Hudson Valley REALITY CHECK
members collected thousands of tobacco ads and
shredded as many as we could all day long. We also
collected hundreds of signatures of Hudson Valley
residents who support our efforts to get tobacco
advertising out of magazines in school libraries.
New York State's Attorney General Elliot
Spitzer lends his support and announced
on June 20th that the National Association of
Attorneys General (N.A.A.G.) has reached an
agreement with two national magazine publishers to
eliminate tobacco advertising from school library
editions of four major magazines with high youth
readerships. The agreement was reached with Time,
Inc. (which publishes Time, People and
Sports Illustrated), and Newsweek, Inc.
(which publishes Newsweek).
But we're not done yet.
This summer, we will be addressing cigarette butt
litter in local parks. By educating the public,
photographing and collecting the litter, and compiling
public attitudes, we want to expose the fact that
tobacco litter is just as harmful as using the
product. Every year, over 87,000 tons of cigarette
litter is produced in the U.S. That's the equivalent of
nearly 6,500 elephants and may take as long as 10
years to fully degrade!
For additional information on local REALITY CHECK
activities or if you are a N.Y.S. teen between the
ages of 13 and 18 who wants to expose the
manipulative practices of Big Tobacco, please call
(845) 220-7616 or drop an e-mail to:
realitycheckdcuc@yahoo.com
MORE TOBACCO NEWS
Tobacco Ads Are Everywhere
Submitted by: Tobacco-Free Action
Coalition's Project Coordintor, Ellen Reinhard
Tobacco Ads Are Everywhere
Every day the tobacco industry works to legitimize
its business and normalize the use of their deadly
product. If you are not a smoker and you are over
age 25 you probably are unaware as to how much
tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship goes
on in our communities. The results are devastating.
Big Tobacco spends $875 million per year in New York
State to promote their products which addicts kids
and kills adults. T.F.A.C. - Tobacco Free Action
Coalition of Ulster County is fighting back, and
we need your help!
T.F.A.C. and the New York State A.S.P.
Initiative
T.F.A.C. is actively participating in
a statewide Tobacco Advertising, Sponsorship and
Promotion (A.S.P.) Initiative to identify and combat
the tobacco industry's influences in our communities.
To do this, T.F.A.C. has a survey to
evaluate the presence of tobacco advertising,
sponsorship and promotion in Ulster County, and we
need your help to find the answers.
How you can be a part of this
initiative
This survey can be obtained by going to our website
at www.tobaccofreeactioncoalition.org
and click on 'Tobacco Survey Form'. It is
important that we fully understand the presence and
the role of Big Tobacco in Ulster County if we are to
effectively launch a campaign to reduce its negative
impact. Please take this survey to your next
P.T.A. meeting, pass it around at your house of
worship, or talk with your colleagues about it at your
next professional association meeting.
In addition to recognizing those individuals that help
complete this survey (see the survey for more
details), T.F.A.C. plans to recognize those
businesses, agencies and groups that have already
taken a stand against Big Tobacco by refusing to
accept their sponsorship or promotional funding at
our Annual Awards Dinner this Fall. Don't let
your organization go unrecognized! If the agency
you work for or volunteer your time with doesn't
accept money form Big Tobacco, be sure to note
that in the appropriate section of the attached
survey.
Please join T.F.A.C. in taking the first steps in
kicking Big Tobacco out of our community! Visit our
website at
www.tobaccofreeactioncoalition.org to find
out more.
|
| MYSTERY MEMBER |
|
|
In each newsletter, we will have an educational, fun
and interactive way to learn about a particular
Prevention Connections' member. This individual will
be known as our "Mystery Member." S/He
will submit five "little-known facts" to be listed in the
newsletter. The first person to call Prevention
Connections, (845) 338-0338 (feel free to leave
a voicemail, since it will be time-stamped), with
the name of the correct individual will win a modest
prize. Then, in the next publication of the
newsletter, we will feature a short article about
the "Mystery Member," giving their name, title, and a
little about the work he/she does. We would also like
to take a picture of the individual to put in the
newletter with the article. This seemed like a unique
way for people to learn about their fellow coalition
members and to be able to put a face with their
name.
Here are the "little-known facts" for our very
first "Mystery Member." The prize give-away for
the first person to call with the correct coalition
member's name will be a pair of movie theatre
tickets. Good luck to each of you!
- I am an artist, majored in gaphic design in college
and exhibited my artwork in a Woodstock gallery.
- I was a hand model (holding shavers for
instructional brochures) for Remington Shaver.
- I was a competitive swimmer.
- I worked in the art department for an educational
filmstrip company and was a character model
appearing in numerous filmstrips.
- Moved to Kingston from my hometown of
Trumbull, Connecticut 30 years ago.
Who am I?
|
| FOR PARENTS |
|
|
There are many websites out there which can
provide parents with the "basics" when it comes to
talking with their child(ren) or other teens about
alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.
These sites often provide more in depth discussions
about a variety of substances, warning signs, etc.
They can be a helpful tool for parents who cannot
attend an evening informational program, or who may
be too embarrassed to do so.
Please take a moment to look over the parent site
highlighted below to see how it may be helpful to the
parents you come in contact with.
|
| SAVE THE DATE(S) |
|
|
September 16: First Responder's Training -
see Workshops & Training.
September 17th: Kingston Cares First Annual
Community Carnival, 12-6 p.m., Hasbrouck Park,
Kingston.
Contact Elaine Fernandez @ (845) 331-7080.
October 6th: Annual Sane & Sober
Conference, 12-5 p.m., Quality Inn (formerly Ramada
Inn), Kingston. Contact John Greklek @ 339-
9090x115.
October 14th: Kingston Hospital's 10th
Anniversary Celebration & Annual Recovery
Conference, "The Intergration of Family Support
Systems in Client Treatment," with Robert
Ackerman, will be held at at the Quality Inn, in
Kingston. A limited number of free seats are
available. PLease contact Betsy or Doiane @ (845)
338-0338 for more information.
October 21: Teen Summit II, details to be
announced. Contact Betsy @ (845) 338-0338.
October 28: Community Methamphetamine
Workshop - see Workshops & Training.
November 3: Parents and Kids Together
Conference - "Paths to Resiliency", 11:30-12
Registration, 12-5:30, Holiday Inn, Kingston, Contact
Katrina Arena @ (845) 340-4174.
|
| PARTING THOUGHTS... |
|
|
As human service professionals, we have our
share of frustration with the state of the world, the
realities "our" kids/families/clients are facing and how
difficult this work can be. It is important to find and
utilize a variety of tools which can provide the added
strength and support we need.
We hope to provide quotes, poems, stories, etc. that
will give you some additional inspiration in those
challenging times. We also hope that you will pass
on other notable quotes to us so they can be
included in future issues.
The Starfish Story
-- adapted from Dan Millman
A boy and his father are walking along the beach.
There are literally millions of starfish that have been
washed on to the sand by the high tide. The father
stoops down, every ten feet or so, picks up one of
the starfish and tosses it back into the ocean.
The son watches for a while and then says, "Dad,
why are you doing that? There are so many
dying starfish! What does it matter?"
At first the father says nothing. He continues
walking, stoops down and picks up another starfish.
Tossing it into the ocean, the father turns to his son
and says, "It matters to that one."
|
| NEWSLETTER CONTACT INFORMATION |
|
|
We hope you enjoyed this premier issue of
the "Prevention Connections Newsletter." Thank you
to those individuals who submitted articles. This is
intended to be your newsletter, so we
welcome and look forward to your submissions,
feedback and comments. The newsletter is your
place to share information with coalition members
and the Ulster County community at large.
The next newsletter will be published on October
1, 2005. All submissions for that publication
must be in by September 21, 2005. Try to
keep articles about three paragraphs, or less, and
understand that they may need to be edited.
Submissions may be made in the following ways:
E-mail: magsy@hvc.rr.com (Diane) or
bsinsapaugh@familyservicesny.org (Betsy)
Fax:
(845) 338-0147
Mail:
Betsy Sinsapaugh or Diane Mueller,
Prevention Connections,
A Program of Family Services, Inc.,
95 Grand Street,
Kingston, NY 12401
|
|
The Truth About Methamphetamine |
|
|
|
Not unlike other communities, Ulster County is
beginning to notice an increase in the use of
Methamphetamine. What was once considered a
West Coast drug problem is now widespread
throughout the United States and growing. It has
invaded areas such as the Southwest, the Mid-West
and the Northeast. Prevention Connections, a
Federal Anti-Drug Communities Grant Project, is
dedicated to taking proactive steps toward the
prevention of Methamphetamine use and abuse.
Methamphetamine is a man-made, highly addictive,
stimulant drug which causes harm to the Central
Nervous System. It was originally created for use in
nasal decongestants, bronchial inhalers, and to treat
illnesses such as Narolepsy, Attention-
Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Obesity.
When Methamphetamine is taken into the body, it
causes the brain to produce an accumulation of the
neurotransmitter, Dopamine, which results in the
user's feelings of stimulation and euphoria. It can be
smoked, snorted, injected or orally ingested. In its
crystalline powder form, it is white, odorless, bitter-
tasting and can be easily dissolved in water or
alcohol.
Some short-term effects of the drug
are:
- Increased attention and decreased fatigue
- Increased activity
- Decreased appetite
- Euphoria and Rush
- Increased respiration
- Hyperthermia
Some long-term effects of the drug
are:
- Dependence and addiction
- Psychosis (ie: paranoia, hallucinations, mood
disturbances and repetitive motor activity)
- Stroke
- Weight loss
Abusers of Methamphetamine can suffer from a whole
host of medical issues including, but not limited to:
- Inflamation of the heart lining
- Damaged blood vessels
- Skin abscesses
- Insomnia
- Episodes of violent behavior
- Increased risk of H.I.V./A.I.D.S. and Hepatitis B
and C
Methamphetamine's Negative Toll on the
Environment
Along with the devastating effects
that Methamphetamine can have on individuals, it is
also the culprit to huge impacts on the environment
and the community at large. Because the common,
easily-accessible ingredients used in the production
of Methamphetamine are highly toxic, and flammable,
the homes of "meth" labs often become
uninhabitable.
The Impact of Methamphetamine on the
Foster Care System
Children who are brought up in these
environments and whose parents and family members
are abusers of the drug are most often removed from
the parents' custody and placed in foster care. With
the increase and spread of Methamphetamine use
and home labs, this has put a tremendous burden on
the Foster Care System. Many times, children are
not able to return home to their parents for two
reasons. First, rehabilitation for this drug takes
longer than most. Second, since parents are in
rehabilitation so much longer, children may be in
foster care for at least 15 out of 22 months, which is
the amount of time, by law, when termination of
parental rights may begin.
The Effects of Methamphetamine Use on
Babies and Children
Babies born to addicted
mothers often have trouble suckling or bonding with
parents. Children who grow up in a
Methamphetamine environment are often exposed to
pornography, sexual abuse or watch their mothers
prostitue themselves, due to the highly sexualized
effects the drug has on it's users. Children are often
neglected and abused by their parents during the
binging cycles. When parents are not sleeping, they
do not feel hungry and do not eat, so they do not
feed their children, either. On the flip side of the
cycle, when the parents crash, they may sleep for
up to three days, leaving their children unfed and
personal hygiene unattended.
Where Methamphetamine addiction grows, there is
also growth in theft, job loss, domestic violence and
even murder. It is no longer one individual's
problem. It becomes the problem of the entire
community.
Ulster County's Strategy for Dealing with
Methamphetamine
Prevention Connections is
reaching out to various communities in Ulster County
and responding to the local concern regarding the
growing presence of Methamphetamine, it's abuse
and addiction, as well as production here. We will be
offering two upcoming conferences on
Methamphetamine. The first for first responders, and
the second, a community awareness training. For
more information, please refer to 'Workshops and
Trainings.'
Expert from California Is Coming to Ulster
County
We're excited to bring in Cheryl Kyle from the Butte
County Methamphetamine Strike Force, in Northern
California, to share her experience and
Methamphetamine prevention resources. She will be
presenting our community awareness training. If
you'd like a sneak preview, please click on the link
provided below.
As a coalition, we collectively believe the best
prevention is through community awareness,
education and involvement. If you are interested in
becoming a coalition member, or would like to be
involved, please call (845) 338-0338, or
send an e-mail to
bsinsapaugh@familyservicesny.org
The Methamphetamine Strike Force
|
|
