2018 Laona Red Ribbon Week Events

The Laona School District invites the community to take a visible stand against drugs by celebrating Red Ribbon week during the week of October 22nd.

Red Ribbon Week raises awareness of drug use and the problems related to drugs facing our community, and encourages parents, educators, business owners, and other community organizations to promote drug-free lifestyles.

For more information about Laona School District’s Red Ribbon Week activities, please contact Jason Bertrand at jbertrand@laona.k12.wi.us

 

2018 Crandon Red Ribbon Walk and Community Café

 This October the Leadership Council at Crandon Middle School is promoting a community-wide Red Ribbon walk and Community Café.The goal of the council is to have students, families and community members join forces to promote the importance of being a drug free community.

   Red Ribbon Week is a national campaign that runs from October 23-31. The walk will begin at 5pm on Wednesday, October 24th and will start at the Courthouse Square, downtown Crandon. We will walk together as a community that stands against drugs from the courthouse to the school using the walking trail.

Along the route, participants will have an opportunity to view positive messages on being drug free which will be posted at local businesses and spots along the trail. Once at the school, a light snack will be served and Mike McGowan, a nationally known trainer, consultant and motivational speaker, will guide a Community Café. The purpose of the café is to give the community stakeholders an informal and safe place to discuss concerns surrounding teen drug use. The stakeholders include family members, community members, business owners and the various community agencies.

Agenda:

5:00-6:00 PM   Red Ribbon Community Walk (Courthouse to School)

          • Gain facts on the importance of being drug free
          • Light snack at the school (Cafeteria)

6:00 PM Mike McGowan – Community Café (HS Gym)

  • Learn about our local data on teen drug use
  • Learn about ways teens are gaining access to drugs

   Please consider joining us in promoting positive and healthy habits for our youth. The entire community is encouraged to wear red on October 24th to show support for Red Ribbon Week. If you have any questions, contact Tina Taylor at 715-478-6166 or taylotin@sdofcrandon.com.

 

Crandon High School to offer screening of “Written Off”

The Community Coalition of Forest County is partnering with the Human Service Center of Forest, Oneida and Vilas Counties to offer Forest County residents numerous opportunities to view a free screening of the documentary “Written Off”.  The next Forest County screening date is Wednesday, October 3rd at the Crandon High School.

“Written Off” chronicles the life of Matthew Edwards, a Crandon High School graduate, whose addiction to opioids began at age 15, after being prescribed pain medicine for a minor surgery.  His grippingly honest writing reveals the secrets he tried so hard to conceal throughout a decade long struggle to escape addiction. Matthew’s mother, Jane Funk, currently a teacher at Crandon High School, published the book “What I Couldn’t Tell you: One Man’s Struggle with Opioid Addiction” in June of 2017 and worked with filmmakers Molly Hermann and Rob Lyall on the “Written Off” documentary.

In addition to the film, parents, grandparents and caregivers are encouraged to tour Forest County Health Department’s “Hidden in Plain Sight” mock teen bedroom, which will be set up at the school. The interactive room is a simultaneously amusing and horrifying scavenger hunt, which helps adults spot the signs of substance abuse or addiction that may be hiding in a teen bedroom. This will be set up to view at 5:30 pm and “Written Off” will begin at 6:00 pm. A discussion panel of local law enforcement, Matthew’s mother, Jane, and local recovery coaches will follow the documentary.  Admission is free and no registration is required.

For more information about the documentary film and/or the Mock Teen bedroom, please contact the Forest County Health Department at 715-478-3371.

Laona High School to offer screening of “Written Off”

The Community Coalition of Forest County is partnering with the Human Service Center of Forest, Oneida and Vilas Counties to offer Forest County residents numerous opportunities to view a free screening of the documentary “Written Off. ”  The next Forest County screening date is Wednesday, May 23rd at the Laona High School.

“Written Off” chronicles the life of Matthew Edwards, a Crandon High School graduate, whose addiction to opioids began at age 15, after being prescribed pain medicine for a minor surgery.  His grippingly honest writing reveals the secrets he tried so hard to conceal throughout a decade long struggle to escape addiction. Matthew’s mother, Jane Funk, currently a teacher at Crandon High School, published the book “What I Couldn’t Tell you : one Man’s Struggle with Opioid Addiction” in June of 2017 and worked with filmmakers Molly Hermann and Rob Lyall on the “Written Off” documentary.

The documentary film will be shown beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 23rd at the Laona High School.  The screening is recommended for ages 14 and up.  Admission is free and no registration is required.

In addition to the film, parents, grandparents and caregivers are encouraged to tour Forest County Health Department’s “Hidden in Plain Sight” mock teen bedroom which will be setup at the school. The interactive room is a simultaneously amusing and horrifying scavenger hunt which helps adults spot the signs of substance abuse or addiction which may be hiding in a teen bedroom.

For more information about the documentary film and/or the Mock Teen bedroom, please contact the Forest County Health Department at 715-478-3371.

Prescription Painkillers. After the pain, they’re just killers.

You may be surprised to learn that prescription opioid (or narcotic) abuse is a big problem in the State of Wisconsin. You are not alone. That’s why the Wisconsin Department of Justice, in conjunction with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and partners across the State, is sharing a DOSE OF REALITY and working to prevent prescription painkiller abuse in Wisconsin. When prescribed and used properly, prescription opioid painkillers can offer relief. However, anyone is at risk of becoming addicted, especially our young people ages 12-25.

Deaths and hospitalizations from overdoses are increasing, and four out of five heroin addicts start by abusing prescription painkillers. In the words of Attorney General Brad Schimel, prescription painkiller abuse is a “public health crisis in Wisconsin.”

Join thousands of other Wisconsinites taking positive action during DOSE OF REALITY WEEK, April 22-29, 2018.

“Written Off” Documentary Screening

Film Tells Gripping Tale, Challenges Stigma

In 2016 more Americans died from overdoses than in the entire Vietnam War conflict.  And yet those new casualties are rarely considered victims of disease.  With the support of Rep. Ann Kuster, (D-NH), Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force, the documentary film “Written Off” is challenging conventional thinking about addiction.

The film chronicles the life of Matthew Edwards, a Crandon High School graduate, whose addiction to opioids began at age 15, after being prescribed pain medicine for a minor surgery.  His grippingly honest writing reveals the secrets he tried so hard to conceal throughout a decade long struggle to escape addiction. Matthew’s mother, Jane Funk, currently a teacher at Crandon High School, published the book “What I Couldn’t Tell you : one Man’s Struggle with Opioid Addiction” in June of 2017 and worked with filmmakers Molly Hermann and Rob Lyall on the “Written Off” documentary.

Continue reading ““Written Off” Documentary Screening”

April Meeting Date Set

The Community Coalition of Forest County will meet on April 10th at 8:30 a.m. at the Forest County Potawatomi Community building located at 8000 Potawatomi Trail.  Items to be discussed include the revitalization of the Drug Endangered Children committee, “Written Off”screening dates, Narcan training update and our Community Asset mapping project.  Agendas for the meeting have been distributed to Coalition partners. If your Forest County Service organization is interested in joining the Community Coalition, please contact Michelle Gobert at 715-478-7797.

2018 Youth Soccer Program

Parents and/or grandparents of youth in grades 4K – 3rd grade are invited to register their children in Forest County’s 2nd annual youth soccer program.

The youth soccer season will be held on Saturday mornings beginning on April 28th and running through May 19th.  This is a beginner soccer program that encourages youth to get outside and be active while learning the basics of soccer.   There is no cost to register.   

Registration forms, as well as the event schedule, are available to download here or are available for pickup at any of the three public libraries in the county.   Please contact Sarah Thomaschefsky at 715-401-1988 or sarah.thomaschefsky@fcpotawatomi-nsn.gov with any questions.

 

 

Free Overdose Prevention (Narcan) Training

To respond to the increase in opioid overdoses locally and statewide, the Community Coalition of Forest County is partnering with the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin to provide free overdose prevention (Narcan) training to Forest County residents.

The training will include information on local substance abuse resources, the importance of alerting emergency responders (calling 911), and hands-on experience with administering Narcan. Participants will receive a free Narcan (overdose reversal drug) kit that can be used to respond to an overdose.

The training is recommended for anyone at risk of an opioid overdose, friends and family of someone at risk, healthcare, social services, law enforcement and emergency response providers. Concerned community members are also encouraged to attend the free training. The training, led by the staff of the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin, will be held on Tuesday, March 13th at 6:00 p.m. in the Forest County Courthouse Board room. Grant funding for the training is provided by the Wisconsin Alliance for Youth. For more information, or questions, please contact Jacee Anderson at the Forest County Health Department at 715-478-3371 or Michelle Gobert at the Forest County UW-Extension office at 715-478-7797.

Printable Overdose Prevention Training Poster