News from Partners for Otoe County

February 3, 2012

Students Lead Public Education Strategies to Reduce Underage Drinking

Lourdes students Bret Kochanowicz and Jameson DeFreece display the banner for Life of an Athlete

"One night of drinking erases 14 days of athletic training." This is the message Otoe County youth are communicating on a daily basis to their peers, parents and the entire community this school year. The message is based on research from the American Athletic Institute.

John Underwood, a former world-class athlete and a trainer of Olympic athletes, heads up the American Athletic Institute. Underwood visited the schools and medical professionals in Otoe County last year where he presented his research and the Life of an Athlete Code of Conduct. "The Life of an Athlete", initiated in 2002 targets male and female adolescent athletes, coaches, parents, athletic directors and communities. It is based on the realization that in order for an Interscholastic Athletic program to function, all stakeholders must take an active and vigilant role. The program sets the foundation for ownership, focus, dedication, purpose, goals, collective and personal responsibility.

Students took Underwood's message to heart and are using it in a campaign to prevent underage drinking. Students worked with Jennifer Conway of Conway Communications to develop their campaign. Messages include:

Radio ads airing on KNCY are voiced by Amanda Chapin and Perry Giles from Nebraska City High School, Nick and Ellen Wulf from Nebraska City Lourdes and Paige Zastera from Syracuse High School.
Banners and popcorn bags that will be used at athletic events were developed by the athletic department at Lourdes under the direction of Mr. Andy Fedoris, the PRiDE organization at NCHS under the direction of Ms. Dawn Leu, the STOP group at Syracuse High School under the direction of Ms. Wendy Buchanan, and the PARTY student organization at Palmyra High School under the direction of Ms. Char Church.

Check out next week's newsletter for photos of the Syracuse STOP Students and Palmyra P.A.R.T.Y. Students with their new banners.

Nebraska City PRiDE Students displaying the banners they designed

Play the Most Important Position in the NFL this Super Bowl Sunday

This Super Bowl Sunday will mark the end of the 2011 record-setting NFL season. That's right, in 2011, 220,000 fans signed up to be designated drivers-a nearly 30 percent increase from 2010 and a new League record.

Nine NFL teams (the Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, San Diego Chargers, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and Oakland Raiders) partnered with MADD to make sure that fans include a safe ride home in their game plan with a game-day designated driver program throughout the season.

The program enhanced the teams' existing designated driver programs with a pre-game MADD presence in stadium parking lots, distribution of information cards throughout the stadiums, and an audio PSA urging fans to "sign up to play the most important position in the NFL: the designated driver."

With Super Bowl Sunday being one of the deadliest times on America's roadways, we hope that the designated driver trend will continue this weekend. If you want to be a champion host this Sunday, use these tips to help throw a party that sails into the end zone. But, no matter how you celebrate or who you cheer for, don't ruin the day by getting a DUI, or much worse. If you're going to drink alcohol, remember to plan ahead and designate a sober driver to help get everyone home safe after the game.

102nd Legislative Session Considering Many Bills Related to Child Welfare

The 102nd session of the Nebraska Legislature began on January 4th and is scheduled to run through April 12th. Here are some of the bills introduced this session and listed on the Voices for Children in Nebraska website that relate to the Safety and Welfare of Children:

LB 649 - Require the Judiciary Committee to develop legislative recommendations for guardians ad litem for children and youth

LB 768 - Access to Case Files for Adoptive Families

LB 774 - Change and add reporting requirements relating to child welfare

LB 820 - Provide for a foster care demonstration project

LB 821 - Create the Nebraska Children's Commission and require legislation to create the Department of Children's Services

LB 837 - Create a task force to review use of certain drugs by wards of the state

LB 839 - Require reporting of sexual misconduct by a school employee

LB 844 - Change child support, medical support, and parenting time provisions

LB 874 - Change foster care licensure provisions

LB 926 - Provide for a minimum base rate for foster care payments

LB 949 - Require reports and a strategic plan by the Division of Children and Family Services of the Department of Health and Human Services (Performance-based budgeting)

LB 961 - Change provisions relating to case management of child welfare services

LB 993 - Change provisions relating to child abuse and neglect teams and child advocacy centers

LB 1063 - Adopt the Children's Health and Treatment Act

LB 1062 - Change provisions relating to adoption assistance

LB 1048 - Increase an appropriation for nurse visitation services as prescribed

LB 1149 - Change provisions relating to child guardianships and child welfare caseloads

LB 1150 - Adopt the Young Adult Voluntary Foster Care Services Act (Foster care services to age 21)

LB 1160 - Require Department of Health and Human Services to develop an information system and provide for reports and an evaluation

You can keep up on the status of any legislative bill at the Nebraska Legislature's website. If you live in District 1, you can contact Senator Heideman and if you live in Legislative District 2 you may contact Senator Lambert to provide your input. We'll share some information about legislation related to juvenile justice in the next issue of this publication.

Issue: 60

In This Issue

Students Lead Messages to Stop Underage Drinking

What's The Most Important Position in the NFL?

Legislative Session Includes Many Issues for Children and Families

Injury Prevention

Calendar of Events

Alzheimer's Support Group

Ways to get Involved

Why We Won't Hire Smokers

Upcoming Events

Jan 1 - 31

Birth Defects Month

National Mentoring Month

February 1 - 29

Prevent Blindness America

American Heart Month

National Poison Prevention Month

Child Awareness Month

Wednesday- February 1

Otoe County Through the Eyes of the Child Team Meeting

12:00 - 1:00

NCCCF

Friday - February 3

Give Kids a Smile Day

National Wear Red Day

Saturday - February 4

World Cancer Day

Sunday - February 5

Pay a Compliment Day

Super Bowl XLVI

7:30 p.m

NY Giants vs New England

Indianapolis, IN

February 5 - 11

Burn Awareness Week
Wednesday - February 8

CASA Swearing-In

Otoe County Court House

4:30

Thursday - February 9

P4OC Marketing Committee Meeting

12:00 - 1:00

NCCCF

Monday - February 13

Read to Your Child Day

Tuesday February 14

St. Valentine's Day

Feb 10 - 16

National Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week

Monday - February 20

Presidents Day

Federal Holiday

Southeast Nebraska Alzheimer's Support Group

Morton-James Public Library

Community Room

2:00 - 3:30

Darcy Carpenter - 402-873-0601

www.seniorshelpingseniors.com

Wednesday, Feb 22

Ash Wednesday

Friday - February 24

TiPS Beverage Server Training

On-Sale Training

NCCCF - 10:00 - 3:00

Feb 26 - March 3

National Eating Disorder Awareness Week

March 1 - 31

Brain Injury Awareness Month

Learning Disabilities Month

National Developmental Disabilities Month

National Poison Prevention Month

Sunday, March 11

Daylight Savings Time

PROMOTE YOUR FAMILY-FRIENDLY EVENTS

CONTACT Laurie to post YOUR information.

Alzheimer's Support Group

The Southeast Nebraska Alzheimer's Support Group, in conjunction with the Alzheimer's Association Great Plains Chapter of Lincoln NE, will host a monthly meeting on the third Monday of every month at the Morton-James Public Library's community room starting February 20th from 2:00-3:30. The support group is an open gathering of people with common problems, needs and interests who come together to share their feelings, thoughts and experiences to better cope with and manage the shared problems of dementia. Darcy Carpenter is the facilitator for the meetings. Darcy received formal training for this role from the Alzheimer's Association in December 2011. As part of her on-going training, she is required to attend a yearly training session as well as attend at least two educational programs per year supported by the Great Plains Chapter. Darcy can be reached at (402)-873-0601 or toll free (888) 773-0605 for further information or visit their website www.alz.org.

P4OC Needs Your Help
help

P4OC needs your help to carry our programs into 2012 and beyond.

click here for more information about volunteering.
Click here to make your tax-deductible donation before 2011 ends.

Opposing View: Why We Won't Hire Smokers
Forty percent of all premature deaths are due to forces within our control, such as obesity, sedentary lifestyles and poor dietary choices. One factor, however, rises above all of those - smoking. How many deaths are attributed to smoking every year?

injury prevention

NFL Urges 19 States to Pass Lystedt Law

The NFL successfully has pushed for 31 states and the District of Columbia to pass the Zackery Lystedt Law, named for a youth football player in Washington who suffered a serious brain injury after staying in a game despite suffering a concussion. What does the law mandate?

Partners for Otoe County (P4OC) Services

Partners for Otoe County
917 Wildwood Lane, Suite H | Nebraska City, NE 68410
402-873-6343 | www.p4oc.org

Partners for Otoe County is a registered trade name of
People United for Families, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation