36 Brunswick Avenue, Gardiner, ME 04345
making connections ~ improving lives Newsletter of HCCA
Volume 1 Issue 5 Schools and Youth |
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Board of Directors
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Mary Frances Bartlett
Rebecca West Dick, Chair
Cindy T. Flye
Rob Gordon
Chuck Hays, Treasurer
Bill McKenna
William McPeck, Vice Chair
Kathi Wall
Jim Wood, Secretary
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Our Towns |
- Augusta
- Chelsea
- Farmingdale
- Fayette
- Gardiner
- Hallowell
- Litchfield
- Manchester
- Monmouth
- Mount Vernon
- Pittston
- Randolph
- Readfield
- Richmond
- Vienna
- Wayne
- West Gardiner
- Windsor
- Winthrop
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Welcome to HCCA's Newsletter
Volume One, Issue 5!
Enhancing the quality of life in our communities is central to our purpose. The newsletter goals are to provide you with resources to connect with others and resources to improve lives. Each Issue will focus on a different topic and activities. This month's focus is Schools and Youth.
We hope you will find the information presented here useful and informative. Please send any comments and suggestions for improvements to the contact information above.
We would also like to announce our new and improved website. Please visit us at healthycommunitiesme.org for more information about HCCA, our ongoing initiatives, and links to more resources. All our newsletters are permission only. You are receiving it because we have an established relationship with you. If you do not want to receive future newsletters, please activate the "SafeUnsubscribe" link at end of the newsletter.
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| Save the Date |
| Dad's Discussing Domestic Violence October 24, 2008, 5:00-6:30, Augusta City Center. Discussion group for fathers to share experiences and opinions. FMI contact Brandin Turner at: IMI@skcdc.org
Parent's Night Out November 6, 2008 5:00-7:30, Capital Area Technical Center. Free night of food, entertainment, and discussion. See related article below.
MYAN Peer Leadership Conference November 14 & 15, 2008, Bar Harbor. FMI www.myan.org
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| Maine Harvest Lunch Success! |
Several schools across our Local Service Area participated in Maine Harvest Lunch on September 17th. Some even turned it into a week-long event!
School Food Service Directors linked with local farms to procure locally grown foods that were served in school lunches. Several districts also reinforced the importance of buying locally grown foods with classroom lessons, visits from farmers and to farms, beautifully decorated schools and cafeterias, and even by putting students to work shucking corn! Last year over 200 schools participated in the annual event and though the final counts aren't in, we expect even more participated this year! Maine Harvest Lunch is intended to forge long-term relationships between schools and farmers to support local economies and improve student nutrition.
Even though the growing season is nearly over, it is never too early or too late to start a Farm to School program. In fact it is during the winter months when farmers are available to meet and plan for next year. If you are interested in starting or improving upon a Farm to School program in your school district, contact Renee Page at rpage@mcd.org or 588-5020.
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| A Time for Sharing |
Everyone is bracing for a cold expensive winter. A wonderful, little known resource is Addie's Attic on Summer Street in Augusta beneath the Episcopal Church Office. Addie's Attic takes donations of all kinds: clothing, housewares, toys, books, and more. The donated items are then given away for FREE to those in need. Hours are Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00 - 11:00 AM. Recognizing that these hours of operation are limited and difficult for many, Katherine Kollman from Gardiner has generously offered to deliver your donations for you if you bring them to her. You can contact Katherine at outofmyheadportland@hotmail.com or Anne Cormier, director and founder of Addie's Attic, at 623-9434.
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| National Lung Health Day |
 October 22nd is National Lung Health Day. One way to recognize this observance is to revisit your school district's Tobacco Use Policy. Beautiful free signs from the Partnership for a Tobacco Free Maine (PTM) are available to districts whose policy meets PTM guidelines. Maine State Law prohibits tobacco use on school grounds 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Do athletic fields and parks in your community have the same policy? Contact Renee Page at rpage@mcd.org or 588-5020 for a free policy assessment. |
| FREE Parent's Night Out |
Augusta area parents and teen care providers are invited to attend a FREE night of food, entertainment, and discussion of various topics covering the challenges parents and teens are facing in today's society. The event will be held on Thursday, November, 6th from 5:00-7:30 PM at Capital Area Technical Center on 40 Pierce Drive in Augusta. Dinner and childcare will be provided by Technical Center students.
Keynote speaker, Maine Humorist Gary Crocker, will offer his view on health, wellness, and raising teens in today's world. Parents and care providers will have the opportunity to break out into discussion groups with local facilitators covering various topics including: alcohol and drug issues, teen sexuality, Internet safety, communicating with teens, and raising your teen with the help of your faith and church.
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| Take Time! for Physical Activity |
 Take Time! is a proven strategy to increase the amount of physical activity students receive during the school day by integrating movement into daily lessons. Take Time! has been successfully implemented across the state as a method to combat the rising incidence of childhood obesity and chronic disease. Research shows that students who engage in regular physical activity have improved behavior and better academic outcomes. If you are interested in implementing Take Time! in your school district or strengthening your existing Take Time! program, contact Renee Page at rpage@mcd.org or 588-5020. |
| October is Parent Involvement Month |
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Governor Baldacci, joined by the Maine State PIRC (Parent Information Resource Center), proclaimed October as Parent Involvement Month in Maine. The proclamation acknowledges parents as their child's first and most influential teacher. Parent involvement helps a child succeed at home, in school, in their community, and in life. Renew your commitment to children by:
- Being Involved
- Getting Involved
- Staying Involved
Schools are encouraged to recognize the outstanding contributions parents make in fostering their children's love of learning and for the commitment parents make to be involved by becoming an intricate part of their child's school community. For more information on the governor's proclamation, PIRC, and Parent Involvement Month, visit the Maine Parent Federation's website at: www.mpf.org
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| Great New Resource |
Raising Maine is a great new free magazine and website for Maine moms. Raising Maine looks to provide a forum for mothers to learn, share, and connect. Maine is a great place to live and raise a family but it's not always the easiest place to meet other moms. RaisingMaine.com was created to help Maine moms connect with each other and share ideas, find resources and chat about the joys and pitfalls of raising children. It's also about women too, who often forget their own needs in place of their children's. Go to the website to learn more and subscribe to the free magazine.
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Thank you for your commitment to the health and wellbeing of our children. Please contact us if we can be of assistance in supporting your southern Kennebec communities' quality of life.
Sincerely,
Joanne Joy, Director
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Renee Page, School/Youth Program Manager
Healthy Communities of the Capital Area
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