|
Christmas Letter Jogs Family
Memories |
|
I suppose I'm a glutton for punishment, because I still enjoy the annual Christmas letter -- a glimpse into the lives of people I love-- even if it means knowing Aunt Myrtle came down with a bad case of the shingles.
But our Christmas letter would be different, I reasoned. Ours could be interesting and compelling and funny. I pictured people waiting expectantly each Christmas for the latest holiday letter from our house to theirs.
But when I sat down recently to write the annual Christmas letter, full of newsy tidbits from a year so full of activity and fun that surely anyone who knows us would be riveted, I came up with this: Tim threw his back out in March, the prescription on my eye-glasses changed, and my sister was in a tornado.
Somebody shoot me now.
Read On for more of Charla Belinski's last Christmas Column ...
|
|
|
| Volunteer Opportunities |
Are you looking to get more involved in the community? Would you like to be part of an organization that is dedicated to helping the world become a better place by changing the lives of kids in a positive way? YZ is looking for Board member representation from the Aspen-Basalt area. If you or someone you know has a strong commitment to youth and families, please contact us.
|
|
Debbie's Dialogue |
|
I want to toot the horn of our very special volunteers this month. This hard-working, intelligent group makes us most certainly among the luckiest non-profits in the world! Two of of our TITAN Steering team members are semi-finalists for the prestigious Boettcher Scholarship this year. Two! Now in its 56th year, the Boettcher Scholars are a very high-achieving, outstanding group of of college-bound teenagers. Congratulations to seniors Rachel Sobke and Allie Rippy of Glenwood Springs!(Read more about Project TITAN in this month's e-newsletter.) We also welcome another outstanding member of the community, Dave Scruby, to our YouthZone Board of Directors. Dave is retired from Alpine Banks of Colorado. Dave joins a spectacular team of selfless volunteers. Are we lucky, or what?!
I thought you might enjoy these quotes from parents and kids who've met with our staff recently:
"I think your program helps a lot and I trust in you."
"YouthZone staff made us understand and told us everything straight up how it was."
"The process did not 'criminalize' my son. Thank you."
|
|
|
|
|
 Happy Holidays!As we enter the wonderful, wintery holiday season, we hope this newsletter finds you all happy, healthy and well. Please read on to find out what's happening at YouthZone, in our community, and in our lives.
Warm wishes from the YouthZone Staff!
|
|
Project TITAN
 TITAN board members like Glenwood Springs High School senior Allie Rippy, are full voting members of the non-profit boards on which they serve,
YouthZone's Project TITAN was created as a unique way to involve teens in the community in a positive and meaningful way. We link youth volunteers with non-profit organizations by giving teenagers an opportunity to serve as board members on local non-profit boards. Youth are matched with a non-profit organization that has a mission statement compatible with his/her interests. Youth board members are voting members of boards and students receive an adult mentor from the board on which they serve to help make the youth's time on the board as productive and enjoyable as possible. TITANS stands for "Trained Involved Teens Assisting Non-Profits." And, boy, do they! It's definitely win-win. "My first experience was being on the Glenwood Springs Soccer Board," says TITAN member and current YouthZone Board member Allie Rippy. "It was really intimidating at first but I learned so much from the experience. Now I'm on the TITANS steering committee and it's a great experience because I get to help other people go through the process and learn about non-profits." |
Donor Updates
YouthZone is the recipient of a three-year grant from Pitkin County to support services for youth and families who live and work in Pitkin County. Recently, Pitkin County Commissioners heard from many of the organizations involved in the county's Health and Human Services work, including YouthZone Program Director Lori Mueller. Lori shared the story of a 17-year-old girl who came to YZ because she was facing criminal charges for petty theft. At 15, she had been abandoned by her mother and had been taking care of herself.
With a collaborative effort by several agencies, the young woman has graduated high school and is now attending Mesa State College. She is the only member of her family who has a high school diploma. The story moved Commissioner Patti Clapper to tears.
"What you guys do is so appreciated," Clapper said.
Thanks, Pitkin County, for helping us do what we do!
A big thank you to the Daniels Fund for a grant of $15,000 to our Pals Mentoring Program! Pals serves youth from Carbondale to Glenwood Springs and in the West End, from New Castle to Parachute.
The EnCana Cares program matches every dollar donated by its emplyees. Doug Rosa is an employee at EnCana who donated $1,000 to YouthZone; EnCana matched this and then Doug was the company's "double draw" winner so they donated another $1,000! The Grand Total was a $3,000 donation to the YouthZone Foundation by Doug Rosa and EnCana Cares. Here's why Doug gives to YZ: "I volunteer with YouthZone because the services and counseling they provide to valley youth and their families really makes a difference. They are our future."
And a special thanks to the many folks who make what we do a little easier. From plumbing to landscaping, we are grateful to the following businesses and individuals for their service and kindness. Thanks to all of you, for all you do!
Pine Stone
Glenwood Springs Kiwanis
John Taufer and Associates
Dahl, of Glenwood Springs
Rangely Insurance
Jill's Carpet
Rifle Lock and Safe
Henry Nordsiek
Mike Wilde
Merle Detweiler
If you'd like to be a part of the YZ Team, it's not too late to donate your time or resources! To donate by Dec. 31, 2009, click here. To contact us about volunteer opportuntites, click here. |
|
Spotlight on the Community
Addiction isn't something that only happens to adults, and we are fortunate to have in our midst an expert and caring facillity in the Youth Recovery Center at Valley View Hospital. Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, YRC has been lucky enough to have Kathy Kopf on board from the beginning. An integral part of the organization, Kathy has been Director of YRC for the past eight years and will be retiring in 2010. As of Feb. 1, 2010, Amanda Brooke, currently a staff nurse in the program, will take the helm as Director. We wish them both well!
YRC is an inpatient, adolescent, chemical dependency program serving teenagers from the state of Colorado since 1987, and is the only facility of its kind in the state. The program is highly structured and comprehensive, focused on building an alternative lifestyle to substance use through acquisition of psychological and social coping skills.
"We are one of the best kept secrets in the valley -- and we don't want that distinction," says Kopf. "We have a wonderful staff and support system to help kids." And a tremendous success rate as well. Six months after exiting the program, YRC teens have a success rate of 80% for significantly decreasing or eliminating drugs.
For information on YRC click here or contact Valley View Hospital. |
|
YZ Happenings
Girls Circle is a nationally-acclaimed curriculum that offers girls a chance to connect with adult women, explore the world around them and foster friendships and self-esteem. We are very pleased to have the opportunity to host a national facilitator training for Girls Circle in March 2010! Potential trainers will gather in Glenwood Springs for two days in this comprehensive workshop. For information or to register call YouthZone at 970-945-9300.
Our popular Parenting Classes will be offerend in several locations this winter.
Redirecting Children's Behavior, Aspen
January 19- February 16, 2010 (Tuesday evenings) at Aspen Middle School
Developing Capable Young People, GWS
Beginning April 5, 2010 in YZ Glenwood Springs office
Parenting with Love & Logic, Rifle
Beginning Wednesday February 17 YZ Rifle office
Parenting Through Divorce
These one-night workshops meet the 9th judicial court's mandatory requirement for couples divorcing who have children in the home.
Aspen
Wednesday January 13, 2010 at the Schultz Building
Parachute
Thursday February 11, 2010 location to be announced.
|
|
From the YouthZone family to your family, our best for a safe and relaxing holiday season.
Sincerely,
YouthZone
www.YouthZone.com
970-945-9300
Lori Mueller, Program Director
|
|
|
