JANUARY 2025
Upcoming Events
WEDNESDAY JAN 8, noon. Monthly Coalition Meeting at our new venue: Webster Chamber of Commerce - 1110 Crosspointe Ln. Suite C, Webster, NY 14580. Register here to join us online or in-person.
THURSDAY JAN 9, 6:15 p.m. WHEN Family Game Night with free Candy Bar BINGO at Klem North. These events are so fun! Volunteer to help out here. Register here.
TUESDAY JAN 21, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. From Worries to Wellness - A World Cafe-style parent forum at Spry MS Professional Development Ctr. The second in our Navigating the Tween Years series. Learn more and register here. Perfect for all parents and guardians with kids in elementary and middle school.
THURSDAY JAN 23, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. Family Game Night at Spry! Spry families: mark your calendar and join us for an evening of fun with both trivia and candy bar BINGO. This is a great chance to get to know your kids’ friends and their families while spending quality time together. Volunteer to help out here.
THURSDAY JAN 30, 6:30 p.m. WHEN Family Game Night with free Candy Bar BINGO at DeWitt Rd. Volunteer to help out here. Register here.
TUESDAY FEB 4, 6:30-8:0 0 p.m. Social Media and Your Kid will be reprised to give more parents the chance to experience this fantastic program! Learn more and register here.
THURSDAY FEB 6, 6:30 p.m. WHEN Family Game Night with free Candy Bar BINGO at Plank North. Volunteer here. Register here.
Why does WHEN promote Family Game Nights? Shared activities strengthen children's bonds to their family or caregivers, and building community helps kids feel connected. These are protective factors that help to offset risks for developing substance use disorders and other negative outcomes later in life. Building your parent network grows your own support system and helps you keep your kids and their friends safe as they navigate their growing independence. So please, join us for an evening of fun and community at your child’s school!
Webster Headlines
Wishing very happy January birthdays to WHEN members: Patty R., Wendy M., Susan G., Vanessa S., Kate Z., Lindsay T., Dorothy P., Joanne H., David L., and Lauren Z.
We need your help to unveil the protective factor signs that WHEN and Webster Central School District have put up around the district. If you have a student in the district, please consider snapping a photo of you or your child with any of the signs (located at all 11 schools) to be displayed on WHEN’s social media accounts. Just email it to Jen at media@WHENdfcc.org with your permission to post it on social media (no names will be included). Each submission will enter you into a drawing for one of 5 $20 pizza gift cards (up to 3 submissions per child, each with a different sign). Thank you for your help!
Venue Change for Coalition Meetings: Please note that going forward, our monthly coalition meetings will take place at the Webster Chamber of Commerce at 1110 Crosspointe Ln. Suite C, Webster, NY 14580. Meetings will continue to be hybrid, so participants are encouraged to join either in-person or online, whichever is most convenient. If you have never attended, please join us! Everyone is always welcome and we love meeting new friends.
Be on the lookout for our upcoming social media campaign with information about cannabis use in NYS, what exactly is legal and what is not, Webster-specific information, and health considerations. When you see them on Facebook, X, and Instagram, please like, comment, and share these posts to raise awareness and increase our community’s knowledge base. Here's a peek at just a few of the graphics we're working on:
Incremental Change
“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, Judi Swanson, LCSW~R
Germany Kent said, “Never underestimate the power you have to take your life in a new direction.” With the new year upon us, many will make a resolution or goal in areas of our lives that we want to change or improve. You might want to exercise more, eat healthier, take up painting, or read more books. Perhaps you want to get more involved in your community by volunteering or donating to organizations whose missions you believe in and support.
“Great things are done with a series of small things brought together.” - Vincent VanGogh
As you work towards these changes, begin with small steps. Research has shown that by making small steps, the likelihood of successfully achieving desired life changes increases. An article in WebMD states, “Our brains are hardwired to resist repeating difficult, complex, or painful events. As a result, a “no pain, no gain” approach actually makes it easier for us to give up on our goals. Instead, relax a little. Make sure to bring playfulness, fun, or at the very least, ease into each little step you take towards your mission.”
Whatever resolution or goal you make for 2025, practice kindness to yourself and to others. As Karen Salmansonn said, “View your life with kindsight. Stop beating yourself up about things from your past. Instead of slapping your forehead and asking, ‘What was I thinking?’, breathe and ask the kinder question, ‘What was I learning?’”
WHEN wishes all of you a happy and healthy 2025. Thank you so much for being valued partners in our mission of involving and engaging our community to empower Webster kids to grow up strong and substance free.
Spotlight
We would like to thank the Buildings and Grounds team at Webster Central School District for putting up the 48 protective factor signs that WHEN purchased to reinforce healthy habits. We appreciate their willingness to collaborate with us!
Upcoming Meetings
Next Coalition meeting: January 8 at noon.
NOTE NEW LOCATION: Webster Chamber of Commerce at 1110 Crosspointe Ln. Suite C, Webster, NY 14580. Click here for in-person and online details and to register.
Reminders
Start the year out right! Check our events page and register for programs that interest you. Family Game Nights are full of fun, and parent forums are so jam-packed with useful tips, you will appreciate their benefits right away. Happy New Year!