Community Connection

Congratulations to Jim Maginel!

The Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition honored Jim Maginel, longtime member and leader of the Coalition, at its 1^st Annual Awards Celebration on October 25.

Jim was presented the Inaugural Jim Maginel Award for his dedication and commitment to the Coalition over the past eleven years. Jim retired from his position as Drug Free Communities Project Director at the end of September.

The Jim Maginel Award will be annually awarded to an individual, individuals or a group that exhibit the same dedication and commitment to the organization as Jim.

The 2011 Jim Maginel Award was awarded to two individuals who have gone above and beyond by leading the Coalition’s Media Committee in launching a successful media campaign entitled “Rise Above”.  Honored were Cheryl Ellis of the Southeast Missourian Jr. and Kathy Sweeney of KFVS.

Many thanks and congratulations go to Jim, Kathy and Cheryl for earning these awards.

The next meeting of the Coalition is Tuesday, December 20, 2011 at 10:30am at the Kasten Community Development Center (937 Broadway, Suite 102).  New members are welcome to attend and join our mission to alleviate youth substance abuse in our community.

Mark your calendars for March 16, 2012!

That is the date of the Community Caring Council’s Annual Conference.  The topic this year is “Raising Emotionally Healthy Children” based on a book written by Gerald Newmark.  Tentative plans include combining this conference with the annual We Care About YOUth Conference sponsored by the Parent and Community Education Committee. A speaker has not yet been confirmed.

The Conference will follow the usual venue on Friday from 8am – 4pm at Dempster Hall on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University.  The targeted audience will be professionals who work with parents and/or youth.  Sessions will continue Friday evening and during the day on Saturday, targeting parents, foster parents, child care providers, and other caregivers.

Stay tuned for more details.

With the closing of the Cape Area Family Resource Center in July of this year, the Community Caring Council assumed sponsorship of the Senior Ladies Group.  This group of 15 ladies, mostly from south Cape, had been meeting weekly at the Family Resource Center since the Center’s beginning on South Sprigg Street over ten years ago. For the past several years, the group has been funded by the Cape County Senior Services Tax Board.  Funding will again be requested for 2012.

A new home was found at the House of Hope at 1000 Ranney Street (formerly May Greene School).  The ladies have been warmly welcomed by the House of Hope staff and are feeling “at home” again.

The ladies meet on Thursdays, starting at 10:30am with an educational program followed by their favorite event – a potluck lunch!  The current program focus is a program provided by Mary Gosche, University of MO Extension – A Matter of Balance.  This program was developed specifically for seniors and those with limited mobility.

The ladies occasionally take a “field trip”.  Last month, the group attended the Senior Celebration at the Eagles where they visited agency booth, listened to featured speakers and enjoyed fried chicken lunch. Plans for November include lunch at a local restaurant, followed by a movie and a Thanksgiving lunch at the Cape Senior Center.

Other senior ladies are welcome to join this group. Please call Phyllis at 803-0211 for more information.

The Oral Health Coalition’s recent fundraiser at The Venue netted a profit of $300.  Participants enjoyed brunch on Sunday, October 23 from 10am – 2pm.  A brunch is hosted every Sunday at The Venue, located in the Town Plaza off Independence Street, with different groups and organizations serving as hosts and servers each week. A percentage of the proceeds is given to the hosting group.  Thanks to Dionne Hoffmeister for coordinating this event and thanks to Ruopp and Ruopp Dentistry and Coalition members for their work with this fundraiser.

The money raised by the Oral Health Coalition will be used to fund Dental Treatment Scholarships for youth with urgent dental needs.  Oral Health Coordinator Dotty Gholson has been quite busy coordinating school and day care screening events since school started in August.  Local dentists, dental hygienists and dental staff persons, as well as community volunteers help to provide dental screenings and fluoride varnish applications at individual schools.  All materials for the screenings and varnishing are provided at no charge through the MO Department of Health.

If you know of a school or a daycare that is not currently being served by our program, please call Dotty at 651-3747 ext 119 and let her know.  If you know of any youth in need of a dentist or in need of dental treatment, please contact Dotty for assistance.  Scholarships (up to $500) are available to be awarded to youth in need.

Coalition Chair is Dr. Janet Ruopp.  The next Coalition meeting is Wednesday, November 16 at 6pm at the Kasten Community Development Center, 937 Broadway, Suite 102 in Cape.  All interested persons are invited to attend our meetings and join our Coalition!

Plans for our next fundraiser are already underway.  Our 3^rd Annual Sensational Smiles event will take place on Saturday, April 14, 2011 at The Crowe Gallery. More information will follow at a later date.

Project Director, Jim Maginel, a long-time member of the Coalition and former Project Director for other coalition grants will be retiring from his position at the end of this month, effective September 30, 2011.  Jim’s presence will be greatly missed by all who have been associated with the Coalition for the past 12 years.

Our next Project Director has been identified and approved by our Board of Directors and the Drug Free Communities administration.  Mercedes Fort, Attorney at Law has been hired as our new Project Director. Other staff plans to remain for Year 2 of the DFC Grant – Shelly Wood as Project Coordinator and Kay Azuma as Grants Budget Specialist. The Coalition has received verbal commitment from Drug Free Communities that funding for Year 2 has been approved.

NEW MEMBERS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME – our next Coalition meeting will be Tuesday, October 25, 2011 at 10:30am at SADI, 1913 Rusmar in Cape Girardeau.  Please join us at the meeting to say thanks and good-bye to Jim and to recognize a couple of outstanding individuals who have given above and beyond to the Coalition during this last year. Give Shelly Wood a call for more information at (573) 587-1921. You may also wish to visit our website at www.mychildourfuture.org

Brittany Berry and Lori Chapman
Brittany and Lori are in their last semester at SEMO State University majoring in Social Work. They have chosen to spend their last semester as interns with the Community Caring Council.  The Council is very pleased to have this opportunity to share the work of our agency with future social workers.  As always, we are learning from each other, and hope that their experiences in our office will make a difference in their futures.

Brittany will be working with me at the macro (community) level, attending community meetings, learning how to relate to community partners and how community-level work does impact individual clients eventually.  She will also be working with Housing Case Manager Natalie Sandoval at the micro (individual client) level.  Lori will be primarily be working with Community Case Manager Jaime Ludwig at the micro level.  They will both be meeting with our walk-in clients, assessing their needs and developing a service plan to meet those needs.  We will definitely keep them busy!  Many of you will be meeting and working with Brittany and Lori this semester.

A word from Brittany…

Hi, my name is Brittany Berry. I am 22 years old and originally from Malden, MO. I moved to Cape Girardeau to pursue my Bachelor’s degree at Southeast Missouri State University.

As a freshman at SEMO, I had every intention to pursue a degree in Nursing. Before my first semester even began, I had some scheduling issues and needed to pick up an elective. As fate would have it, I enrolled in “Intro to Social Work.” At this point, I had no knowledge or interest in Social Work. Now, I cannot imagine my life without Social Work. I truly believe I found my passion in Social Work and I hope to use it to empower vulnerable populations in many local communities.

Over the past three and a half years I worked for Southeast Online Programs. As lead student supervisor, I worked on many large projects such as developing an online orientation module and a one-note information database.  After much experience with Southeast Online, I was able to spend my last summer assisting the Director in advising students. I enjoyed this opportunity because I was able to assist students in academic planning as well as problem-solving. During this time, I was able to gain valuable professional experience.

As an intern at Community Caring Council, I am hoping to build on the skills and knowledge I have as well as strengthen my ability to advocate and challenge social justice issues on the community level. I also look forward to networking and gaining knowledge of other agencies in the area.  

Once I complete my internship, I would love to get a job working with community organizing or in the school system. I am very open to exploring new opportunities in Social Work and look forward to seeing where it will take me.

A word from Lori…

Hi, my name is Lori Chapman.  I am a non-traditional student from Oran, MO.  I have been married for 32 years and have four children and two grandchildren. 

In the past I have worked for several non-profit organizations.  From these work experiences, I have witnessed many areas of oppression and vulnerable populations.  It is through these encounters that I chose the field of social work.  Social Work gives me the opportunity to help those who are facing social injustices. Another reason I chose to study social work is from events that have happened in my own personal life.  I have overcome many challenges that have only made me stronger.  By empowering others, it is my desire to let them know that they too can rise above difficulties.

During the time I have been at Southeast Missouri State University, I have worked for the Foster Grandparent Program.  This has given me a glimpse into the lives of senior citizens and the obstacles they face each and every day. 

As an intern at Community Caring Council, I am excited to put the knowledge and skills I have learned in the last three and a half years to use.  I hope to create trust with those in the community and help resolve issues they may be facing.  I look forward to building strong networking relationships with other agencies and developing lifelong contacts.

Upon completing my internship, I would love to get a job working with pregnant women or substance abuse victims.  These are certainly not the only areas in which I am interested, and I am open to any and all possibilities.

Help support the Community Caring Council at two upcoming fundraising events!

Saturday, October 22, 8:30-10:00am
Krispy Kreme Donut Sale at the SEMO Homecoming Parade. We will be selling donuts on the lawn in front of our office at 937 Broadway in Cape Girardeau. Donuts will be $1 each or $6.00/dozen. Proceeds will go to our Family Transition Team for direct client assistance.

Sunday, October 23, 10am – 2pm
Sunday Brunch at The Venue, 80 South Plaza Way in Cape Girardeau will benefit our Oral Health Coalition’s Dental Scholarship Program for youth with urgent dental needs. Cost is $14.99 for adults and $4.99 for youth, ages 3-10 years. Those 2 and under are free. The menu includes all you eat breakfast bar, lunch bar, prime rib carving station and full dessert bar. YUMMY!

Call Kay at 651-3747 x 104 for more information.

The Oral Health Coalition is planning a Fall Fundraiser at The VENUE in the Town Plaza on October 23.  The Coalition has been selected to participate in their “Charity Give Back Program” which takes place during their Sunday Brunch from 10am – 2pm.

Coalition members will be promoting this event throughout Southeast Missouri’s dental community and the general public.  The VENUE will give back “20% of proceeds” that will be used for Dental Treatment Scholarships in the future.

Coalition members will be on hand at the restaurant to greet customers, serve beverages, bus tables and share information about the work of the Oral Health Coalition. All are welcome to bring their families and come out to support us on October 23.

Oral Health Coordinator Dorothy Gholson is making plans now for the dental screenings and fluoride varnish applications that will be held at local schools and daycares as soon as school starts in August.  She has been visiting local dentists to invite them to donate their time and/or their staff members to help implement this project.

This screening project is a strategy of the MO Oral Health Program.  All screening supplies and varnish materials are provided to local communities at no cost, but volunteers (professional and lay persons) provide all the labor.  If you would like to get involved with this program as a volunteer, please call Dotty at 651-3747 x 119.  There is a short and simple online training that will certify you in applying fluoride vanish to students in local schools.  Check it out at www.mohealthysmiles.com.

The next meeting of the Oral Health Coalition will be Wednesday, September 7 at 6:00pm. If you have an interest in promoting good oral health in our community, you are most welcome to join our group. Coalition Chair is Dr. Janet Ruopp, General Dentist.

CONGRATULATIONS!  The Coalition was recently awarded a Basic Support Grant by MO Foundation for Health.  The grant will provide $64,000 over the next two years and will help the Coalition to accomplish the following:

1. Provide partial compensation of current employees (1 full time and 2 part time positions)   and possibly another part time position.
2. Purchase technology equipment.
3. Purchase program curriculum, survey instruments, postage and other printed prevention materials.

UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS

• Back To School Fair – August 4, 12:00-5:00pm at Salvation Army
• SEMO District Fair – September 10-17 at Arena Park

NEXT MEETING
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 10:30am at Kasten Community Development Center, 937 Broadway, Suite 102, Cape Girardeau.  Coalition Chair is Ellen Carlson, Account Executive at Mississippi River Radio.

RISE ABOVE CAMPAIGN – ATTENTION TEENS!
Have you seen the new RISE ABOVE commercials?  Our Coalition wants to know what you do to rise above and remain drug free.  What are you into?  Sports? Drama?  Art?  Skateboarding?

Make a video and post it on Rise Above (our new youth Facebook page) and who flows? You might be the next local prevention star!

Go to our recently revised website www.mychildourfuture.org for more information or call Shelly Wood at (573) 587-1921.

The Coalition recently implemented a “Bar Owners Survey” among 21 bars in the city of Cape Girardeau. Survey questions included questions on server training, legal liability, identification of fake id’s and more. Here are some of the results:

1. 52% of the bars said they offer in-house training on liquor laws.
2. 90% of the bars said they do not offer training incentives for their employees.
3. 48% of the bars said they allow minors in their facilities.
4. 29% said that their employees had done some kind of training regarding liquor laws.
5. 81% said their employees would be fired if they were caught serving a minor.
6. 14% of the bars do not measure their pours.

The Advocacy Committee of the Coalition is now discussing what should come next. Some suggestions thus far include: bar owner education, server training promotion, further conversations with bar owners, and continuance of compliance checks.

UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS
Cape Park and Recreation Day – July 15, 11am-3pm at Osage Centre
Back To School Fair – August 4, 12:00-5:00pm at Salvation Army
SEMO District Fair – September 10-17 at Arena Park

RISE ABOVE CAMPAIGN – ATTENTION TEENS!
Have you seen the new RISE ABOVE commercials? Our Coalition wants to know what you do to rise above and remain drug free. What are you into? Sports? Drama? Art? Skateboarding?

Make a video and post it on Rise Above (our new youth Facebook page) and who knows? You might be the next local prevention star!

Go to our website www.mychildourfuture.org for more information or call Shelly Wood at (573) 587-1921.