JUNE 2026
Upcoming Events
Wednesday, June 10 at noon - WHEN Coalition Meeting in person at the Webster Chamber of Commerce and online via Google Meet. See details and register here.
Wednesday, July 29, 6:30 p.m. - Red, Hot & Blue Caring Community Concert presented by Webster United Church of Christ, with free-will offerings benefitting Webster Health & Education Network! Red, Hot and Blue is one of Upstate NY's top Americana bands! RHB was ”born” in Memphis and raised in Western New York, playing the music of Paul Thorn, JJ Cale and many more great songwriters. You’ll be toe tapping along and having a good ole’ time! Concessions open at 6:00 and music plays from 6:30 - 8:00 on the church lawn at 570 Klem Road. Check out the entire summer concert series here.
Webster Headlines
Happy birthday to these WHEN members celebrating in June:
Juliana D., Nancy S., Michelle M., Beth P., Emily F., and Megan R.
To catch you up, here are a couple of our recently completed projects:
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WHEN hosted candy bar BINGO on May 18 for Schroeder Unified Basketball participants. This is always a great time for volunteers and participants alike!
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We have added a couple of new pages to the website, please feel free to check them out and let Jen know if you have any suggestions for improvements. Cannabis and Youth and Tips for Talking.
Current and upcoming efforts include:
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WHEN recently received the 2025 YRBS results and Steve, our Research & Assessment guru, is starting to take a look at how the results compare to previous years.
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Instead of reworking our usual prom/ball safety campaigns, this year, WHEN has decided to expand our safety messages to the full summer. We have developed table tents (see image) that principals at both high schools have agreed to display on lunch tables and in the media centers/libraries. We are curious to see students' reactions!
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WHEN hopes to take advantage of the summer lull to come up with some new ideas that further our action plan. If you would like to join a group to brainstorm fresh ideas, let Janine know.
The Heart Work of Friendship
“Protective factors are conditions or attributes in individuals, families, and communities that promote the health and well-being of children and families.” - ChildWelfare.gov
By WHEN member, Dana Buccieri, MEd
Last month I wrote about the importance of finding strength in community and connection and its profound effects on our mental health and well-being. This month I want to dive a bit deeper into the heart work of friendship.
I, personally, come from a very small family unit. Both of my parents were only children. As a result I have no aunts, uncles, or cousins and my grandparents were not local. I also had the added challenge of parents who divorced.
I grew up envious of my friends with large family units who hosted them, loved them, supported them, and filled their lives with the feeling of belonging. To fill what was a very vacant place in my life, I learned about the importance of fostering close friendships. I recently learned a term, ohana, that defines these relationships in my life.
In Hawaiian culture, 'ohana means family — but not just family by blood. 'Ohana includes close friends, extended relatives, and anyone you share a deep bond with. It's a word that holds the idea that family is chosen, nurtured, and forever. 'Ohana isn't just a word — it's a way of life in Hawaii. – Polynesian Cultural Center Blog 2026
Ohana not only became a necessity for me, but because of my need for more connection, I learned the skills needed to develop long lasting friendships and recently needed to lean on these individuals more than I ever thought I would.
While this portion of WHEN is not meant to be about me, it is with a VERY full heart that I want to share some wisdom about putting the hard work in to gain the rewards and the fruit of one’s efforts.
“A man’s friendships are one of the best measures of his worth.”
–Charles Darwin.
One of the many things I have learned is that not one friend, including your partner, can do it all - can be it all. You don’t find true friendship, you invest in it and build it. While we may have a general understanding of this in our adulthood (or not), as parents, we also need to model this, nurture this, and build our kids to be flexible, responsive,and resilient in the conflicts that may occur in relationships. Some of the strongest bonds are those in which each of us have to accommodate each other, adjust our perspective and learn another’s needs, sensitivities, triggers, and respect our differences.
It may sound like climbing a mountain, right?!
To make this task seem less overwhelming, here are four common qualities required as a foundation for cultivating your relationships that hopefully, become those ohana bonds (Anderson, L., What is a Best Friend, Boundless, June 11, 2025):
1. They actually like you.
They enjoy being around you, the real you, not because you tell them what they want to hear or you give them free stuff, perks from work or buy them an ice cream with your open lunch account (a very common occurrence in middle school). Instead, you are your humble, vulnerable, and your authentic self with them. They are fun to talk to, share life with, and are a genuinely interesting person who is genuinely interested in you.
2. They’re your “ride or die.”
A true friend is loyal, supportive, selfless, and giving. They will cheer for you and show up for you and you will do the same for them, whatever the cost or inconvenience.
3. They call you out on your stuff.
True friends are not pushovers! While they, of course, should not bully you, they should not be cowards either. They should be able to disagree with you and call you out when you are out of line or being ridiculous (who me?!?). They should not put up with you when you can be wayward, but forgive you and push you toward growth.
4. They fight with you and still remain your friend.
I have not always shown my friends the respect that they truly deserve, and yes, I am not proud of that. However, you have not tasted true friendship until you have fought with them only to discover that you both want to work it out. You do not define each other by your worst moments or character traits still in progress. You might know something to be true, but not be the truest thing about them. Both parties have to be honest, forgive and offer grace to one another; no one is perfect or going to always do right by you.
Relationships, however, cannot be shame-based or sucking the life out of you. If this is the case, you may have to reevaluate the friendship, walk away, or move on because abuse or manipulation should not be tolerated. Ask yourself if your current friends are people who build you up and support you, or is the friendship more one-sided?
Sometimes the biggest question can be, where do we find friends? According to Psychology Today, it is important that you carve out time in your life for friends because of the heart work involved. You can seek connections through meeting people with similar interests, join meetings, clubs, or nurture a passion. You may have to take some social risks as it may not feel comfortable initially to join a group, but that is actually a normal feeling associated with anything new we do in life. Lean into the discomfort, knowing it will lessen over time and the reward and commitment to seeking connections outweighs the momentary feelings of discomfort. (Puff, R. The Importance of Friendship, Psychology Today, July 26, 2021)
“A friend is one who overlooks your broken fence and admires the flowers in your garden.” -Unknown
Spotlight
As the school year winds down, we'd like to shine a light on all our student volunteers this past school year. They have contributed enormously to our work and elevate all our programming. Whether it's sharing their insight, running out into the rain on drug take back day, or warming up the crowd at Family Game Nights, they have made everything we do, better. We wish you all a happy and safe summer and look forward to more adventures in the future!
Upcoming Meetings
Our next meeting is Wednesday, June 10 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.
Read last month's Coalition Meeting Minutes.
Quick Resources
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Check out our new Cannabis and Youth webpage.
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Find tips for talking with kids (how much to say and when?) about substance use and prevention.
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It's going to get hot out there! Check out mocktail recipes for a healthy and hydrating summer party.