Welcome New Operation Snowball Chapters!
The newest chapters joining OS Inc. are:
Bureau-Putnam Power - Princeton, IL
Hometown Middle School - Oak Lawn, IL
Woodland Middle School - Streator, IL
We are excited to see the Operation Snowball family grow and grow! Can't wait to hear about the great things you are planning! Let us know how OS Inc. and the OS Board of Directors can assist you!
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April Dates Set for Chapter Leader Network Lunch
Adult Chapter leaders are invited for a lunch meeting which brings together other Chapters to talk with each other about successful programming, important ATOD trends, and Snowball growth within your school. OS Inc staff will be available to discuss training needs and events for 2015-2016. A great way to get a jump on next year's planning! This no-cost event requires registration.
Two locations offered:
April 21, 2015
11:00am - 1:00pm
Abraxas Youth & Family Services
2221 W. 64th Street
Woodridge, IL
April 22, 2015
11:00am - 1:00pm
Kenneth Young Center
One Illinois Boulevard, Suite 107
Hoffman Estates, Illinois
217.528.7335 extension 18 for Q & A.
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Youth Facilitator Skills Trainings This Spring!
Youth 8th through 12th grades are invited to attend a training that teaches small group facilitation skills. A great workshop to prepare for being a co-fac at Snowball, CGTI or any peer leader program in which youth engage their peers in discussions and process information and opinions. If you know youth that are currently involved in OS and/or CGTI and want to improved their skills or if you have youth that are your future co-facs and what to get them up to speed this workshop is for them. A no-cost event with lunch provided. RSVP required.
Two locations offered:
April 25, 2015
10:00am - 2:00pm
Stevenson High School
Lincolnshire, IL
May 2, 2015
10:00am - 2:00pm
Chestnut Health Care
Bloomington, IL
More details are on the registration form and/or call 217.528.7335 extension 18 for Q & A.
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OS Inc. Board of Directors Welcome New Members
Three community members have recently joined the volunteer Operation Snowball Board of Directors.
Laura Larson-Gibbons has made a career in the prevention field. She is well versed in coalition building, social norms, youth prevention education and is involved in Snowball with the Schaumburg Chapter.
Yousef Matariyah, Chapter leader for the Lisle Snowball Chapter and school psychologist brings his enthusiasm, expertise and many years of coordinating Snowballs to the state Board of Directors!
Steve Mazzarella, a retired teacher from Naperville, has never retired from Snowball! He has been a trainer, presenter and group facilitator during his long happy Snowball career.
All Board members volunteer their time and provide guidance, support and enthusiasm to OS Inc. by attending Board meetings, committee meetings and events throughout the year. OS Inc. is grateful that they've chosen to serve on the Board of Directors! |
CGTI 2015 Applications Available NOW!
Participant. Mentors. Volunteer Staff.
The 2015 Cebrin Goodman Teen Institute (CGTI) will be held Sunday, July 19th through Thursday, July 23rd at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois.
The 2015 Cebrin Goodman Teen Institute (CGTI) will be held Sunday, July 19 through Thursday, July 23 at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois. Staff Training will be held Friday, July 17 through Sunday, July 19 for Youth Staff and Volunteer Staff. The cost for CGTI is $309/participant.
Staff Training for Youth Staff and Adult Volunteers is mandatory and will be held Friday, July 17th through Sunday, July 19th.
Click here for all applications. If you have questions about the application please call 217.528.7335 ext. 12 or email Ashley Young at [email protected]
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CGTI/OS Mid-Year Event Grows By 60%
The January 17-18, 2015 Mid-Year Event was held in Bloomington and drew 165 participants, 16 mentors and 26 volunteer staff for a weekend of planning, reuniting and fun! This is a 60% increase from last year's Mid-Year Event! Community Action Team plans created this past summer were focused on in numerous sessions over the weekend. Successes were celebrated, new strategies were introduced to address roadblocks, and there was fun, fun, fun! Youth and adults were rejuvenated to meet the 2nd half of the year with their CAT plans updated and ready to continue in creating healthy students, schools and communities!
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Inventive Fundraising Idea by CGTI Volunteer!
Before his 21st birthday on July 29th, Jose Gutierrez came up with a great idea: he deflected the peer influence from friends that wanted to take him out to drink to celebrate by asking friends and community members to each donate $21 or more to send Elgin teens to the Cebrin Goodman Teen Institute. He raised $291 for his community youth!
Jose has attended the leadership camp for six of the past seven years, starting as a participant, moved into Youth Staff then to volunteer Adult Staff. Jose will be on the Leadership Team for CGTI 2015 as a PALS Coordinator. He is an active member in his community in planning Snowflakes for Elgin schools. We applaud Jose's personal commitment to a healthy lifestyle, the youth in his community and CGTI!
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M & P Presentations Raised Funds
At CGTI 2014 For CGTI 2015!
Matt and Phil, better known as M&P Presentations LLC, have become a favorite of CGTI with their presentations and tireless promotion of CGTI on social media. M&P contacted the CGTI staff and said they wanted to do something special for CGTI 2014 and the participants beyond their presentation: they wanted to donate money for scholarships for CGTI 2015.
Their method however, was a bit out of the ordinary. They pledged to donate $1.00 for every participant they could talk into posting a selfie on social media. They promoted it during their presentation as well as on their lunch break between presentations!
Their efforts raised $197 dollars! In a few short hours they were able to get 197 participants to help them raise money for CGTI 2015! Their enthusiasm and dedication to getting the message out about being healthy and drug-free is appreciated!
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2015 Operation Snowball Board of Directors
District 01 - Mike Waxman
District 02 - Yousef Matariyeh
District 03 - Suzanne Hamilton
District 04 - Spike Grossheusch
District 05 - Melissa Byrne
District 06 - Teri Belgio
District 07 - Open
District 08 - Open
District 09 - Edward Gudas
District 10 - Rob Grupe
District 11 - Open
District 12 - Laura Ferrell
IADDA Appointment - Kay Daniel
IADDA Appointment - Patrick Ferrell
IADDA Appointment - Laura Larson-Gibbons
IADDA Appointment - Steve Mazzarella
IADDA Appointment - Charla Waxman
Youth Advocate - Jessica Rippel
Youth Advocate - Andrea Schalk
Youth Advocate - Isaiah Carrington
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