Gardner Community Action Team

Meeting Minutes

From the meeting of March 6th, 2012.

Present:  Amy Feeley-Knuuttila, Fran Longton, Tina Grosowsky, Officer Eric McAvene, Mitchell Aho, Jess Aho.

Next meeting:  April 3rd, 2012, 3-5pm, Snell Conference Room, GHS.

·         Amy facilitated the meeting, apologized for the 1^st cancelled Feb. meeting and acknowledged that this March meeting would be brief due to the Feb. meeting being in the last week of Feb. (one week ago).

·         The coalition discussed and approved the STOP grant and its focus on college age adults; members specifically mentioned their hopes that the new focus would offer a connection between high schoolers and college kids in terms of mentoring, and also social access.

·         Mr. Aho agreed to sign an MOU with the college on behalf of the coalition.

·         We discussed the plans for a town hall and the coalition agreed that a ribbon tying event would be excellent. Amy to arrange a date during a meeting with the mayor.

·         Lt. McAvene has arranged for a compliance check in the first week of April, Amy to seek students for the check.

·         Tina and Mitch are still working on a date for OTP presentation. Fran would like one at HOPE as well.

·         Amy to support Joan on behalf of the coalition regarding the proposed BOH tobacco related local ordinances.

MEETING MINUTES


DATE: NOVEMBER 1, 2011 TIME: 3-5PM


LOCATION: GARDNER HIGH SCHOOL SNELL CONFERENCE ROOM






1. First Action Item from last meeting


• Dates for November Tobacco Shoulder Taps


i. Joan has a ‘route’ mapped out. Invite Joan/SADD and Interact to meeting/train.


2. Second Action Item from last meeting:


• Are the Interact kids willing to volunteer for PSA’s


i. Follow up with Scott about volunteers and about the 84.org chapter


• SADD involvement with GCAT


i. Social Norm Campaign ideas for art students logo contest: Mike/ Jess Adale Sargent w/ Scott Rina Hamell (Ask Mitch for student contact information)


3. Third Action Item from last meeting:


• Subcommittee members


i. Interested Members


1. Rx and Tobacco: Monday 21st 4:30 or 5pm ask Paula Malette- Bernie is sending Sue Avalone’s e-mail


• Digital Photography Class?


i. Have a Still photography project resulting in an art show to be opening for S.N. campaigning


ii. Above the influence: “Tag it” video of the things that are positive or negative influences/routes home






ACTION PLAN REVIEW






1. Work Completed


• Operating Principles: Add to leadership: Youth Officers


• Add to membership ex-officio (ex student leadership permanent seat)


• Choices are consensus based unless necessary? Definition of Census


2. Planned Work


• Cups: Changes to sleeves, Thanksgiving game share with AWCAT route sleeves through M.A.


3. Action Items


• Dates for Joan to train on OTP: 10:30am November 21st Library


• Commitments from coalition members to do outreach to new potential coalition members:


i. Pharmacist


ii. Who replaces Lori Martiska?


iii. HOPE parents


• E-mail Group- Posting member list on web






NEW ACTION ITEMS


1. New Items:


• RX Take back


• Educational event Ideas: Flu Clinics: Bring RX disposal and storage leaflets to Bernie’s office 8-9am Daily


• Dance at Higher Ground: Next meeting


• Pre-prom planning: simulators (Juniors Car Sim. Seniors go-cart w/ police, Julie w/ Social Host)


• Aging simulator and meth use pictures?


• Contact nursing students from MWCC for the OTP training

GCAT Meeting

Drug Free Community (DFC)

Gardner Community Action Team (GCAT)

Meeting Minutes: Gardner High School

February 25,2010 2:00- 3:30 PM

Attendance: Fran Longton (HOPE), Briana Buckley (LUK), Roger Wrigley ( Gardner Police Department), Gene Farrell ( Gardner Public Schools ), Joshua Caron ( Gardner High School: Student of SADD), Joshua Tackett (LUK), Jacalyn Boucher (LUK), Kelsey Mehrtens ( Gardner High School: Student of SADD), Mitch Aho ( Gardner High School )

1. Welcome and Introductions

2. Announcements

• Call for volunteers for May 8th at Waterford Street School to help during the “Drug Take Back Day” from 8:30am-2:00pm (split shifts) as a “Greeter” to the people turning in medications.

o Observers welcome

3. Operating principles

• Steering Committee: 1 board member 2 youth members (SADD)

o Relook at strategies

o Timeline

o Members will be evaluated on yearly basis with at least one year commitments

• Members agreed with Operating Principles Mission and Vision

** Any questions—email by Tuesday March 2, 2010 – next meeting **

4. Drug Data

• The coalition decided to focus on Alcohol, Tobacco and Prescription Drugs based on hard data

o Environmental Strategies such as Pharmacy drop offs (MAP certification was mentioned for prescription medication)

o Local regulations
o Education, enforcement, compliance checks (Alcohol, Tobacco)

o Staffing (police presence, pharmacists for controlled substances)

5. House on Peace and Education (HOPE) wants to collaborate with SADD to talk with their youth about underage drinking.

6. “Drug Take Back Day” article in telegram and Gazette initiated by the Board of Health (Bernie Sullivan) and the Mayor of Gardner was a real hot topic for the coalition. They were extremely interested in the process as well as the idea.

Next Meeting Date: DFC Meeting March 11, 2010 GHS Library 2:30-3:30PM

Respectfully Submitted,

Briana Buckley, LUK Inc.

GCAT Meeting

GCAT (Gardner Community Action Team)
Minutes

October 6th 2008

Attendance- Joshua Tackett (LUK), Cathy Apostoleris (MOC), Mariah Harding (SADD), Tim Gamache (SADD), Gabby Istivan (SADD), Josh Caron (SADD), Jim Kraskouskas (Anthonys Liquors), Amy Whitney (MADD), Gene Farrell (GHS)

Items Discussed

Membership Expansion
We discussed the list we formed and as I send these minutes out with a copy of the list could people highlight and name people from the areas specified and return it to me. We also talked about the importance of one-on-one interviews and if people need another copy of that along with this email please let me know. We are shooting for 50 one-on-ones and need to get going on them soon. If anyone needs any further clarification I will make myself available to them.
Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF)
We have some forms of data to work with from the police and hopefully the YRBS. Along with these we feel that any further data from the schools disciplinary section would be helpful. In terms of analyzing the data in the broadest ways it has been put on the table to have an open discussion around analyzing the data collectively.
Planning and Timelines
The plans that are up coming are the PSA around the Thanksgiving game. To that end we arte attempting to contact Oakmont in the hopes of collaboration for the PSA as well as the rotary club of Westminster and the venue of the game. By the next meeting Gene Farrell will let us know where we stand with Gardner High and the kids will discuss plans for a table or something to be printed in the program of the game.
We also discussed ideas for a social host liability training. The problem we see is getting parents in a captive audience where both they and the kids could be both engaged and educated. Some ideas were floated around about hosting a talent show, including it in a drivers ed aren’t portion or around prom or parent conferences.
Mission/Vision Statement
In keeping with our expected outcomes I would like to once again broach the subject of mission and vision. As a group with the hope to be sustained after we are all gone we really need to create the direction and outcomes we would like to see for Gardner. To that end I would once again ask that we engage in an Email conversation. I will be releasing everyone email address unless otherwise asked not to. It will be only within the confines of the GCAT member list and I trust no one will include it otherwise. I will do so Wednesday afternoon to give people time to respond to my email in case they have an issue.

Future Happenings
Thanksgiving Game
GCAT Meeting at 2pm Mon. November 3rd @ Gardner High

Other Points of Interest
If people can’t make the next meeting could they shoot me a quick email. Also if they could include any pertinent information they have regarding data collection, the mission statements or the membership expansion list and anyone they can talk to from it. Thanks.

Next Meeting- November 3rd @ 2:00pm at Gardner High School
I scheduled it this day to prevent anyone from missing out on their chance to vote November 4th

GCAT Meeting

GCAT (Gardner Community Action Team)
Minutes

September 10th 2008

Attendance- Joshua Tackett (CMCA), Sean Harris (LUK,CMCHC), Cathy Apostoleris (MOC), Mariah Harding (SADD), Tim Gamache (SADD), Gabby Istivan (SADD), Bernie Sullivan (GBoH), Tom Noonan (LUK), Sue Christenson (Heywood), Jim Kraskouskas (Anthonys Liquors), Rebecca Johnson (Gardner District School Nurse), John Lawrence (GPD)

Items Discussed

Membership Expansion
We discussed the list we recently formed and as I send these minutes out with a copy of the list could people highlight and name people from the areas specified and return it to me.
Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF)
We talked about the data collection and what this means for our continued activities. The YRBS and Police records were just a few of the places for us to get numerical data. The stories and qualitative data will come from the members and hopefully the one-on-one interviews. I handed out the one-on-one outlines and if people would like a better explanation they could contact me.
Planning and Timelines
We brainstormed the ideas for this group. We set goals of what we should be working on within 3 & 6 months as well as what we want to see happen throughout our activities. I will be sending out a copy of this to all and am willing to have an open email discussion about how these meet with out goals and mission.
Mission/Vision Statement
This week we handed out the outline for coming up with a mission statement I will be sending out a form I would like everyone to fill in. It has a few questions as to what we are intending to do with our actions and how we plan to get to our goals. I hope this will stimulate conversation between us as well and each other.

Future Happenings
Shoulder Tap TBD
GCAT Meeting at 2pm Mon. October 6th @ Gardner High

Other Points of Interest
If people can’t make the next meeting could they shoot me a quick email. Also if they could include any pertinent information they have regarding data collection, the mission statements or the membership expansion list and anyone they can talk to from it. Thanks.

Next Meeting- October 6th @ 2:00pm at Gardner High School

GCAT Meeting

GCAT (Gardner Community Action Team)
Minutes

September 2nd 2008

Attendance- Joshua Tackett (CMCA), Sean Harris (LUK,CMCHC), Jose Rivera (LUK/CMCHC), Amy Whitney (MADD), Cathy Apostoleris (MOC), Mariah Harding (SADD), Tim Gamache (SADD), Gabby Istivan (SADD), Josh Caron (SADD), Gene Farrell (GHS), Lt. Roger Wrigley (GPD), Bernie Sullivan (GBoH), Ishmael Tobales (GMS), Tom Noonan (LUK), Andrew Haas (GHS), Rebecca Johnson (Gardner District School Nurse)

Items Discussed

Membership Expansion
We discussed the types of skills and people we feel are needed at the table in order to make this group a clearer image of the culture of Gardner. We set out to make a list of the people (List Attached) we thought of in the moment and will continue to add to it. We encourage anyone who knows or has a connection to anyone in the categories we list or anyone they think would be an asset to the CAT to invite them to our meeting or contact the coordinator to obtain more information. Next meeting we will discuss who can talk to whom on our list and divvy it up among ourselves.
Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF)
We then reviewed the SPF and the first three steps in particular. The First was the Assessment piece in which we talked about our need for data and the different places we can obtain data. We can collect data from one-on-one interviews, arrest reports, school behavioral data, hospital ER data and a few other places. It is the job of the Cat to help obtain this data so we may focus our efforts where they are needed in the community. Next we talked about capacity building and how once we have an idea of the problems we work towards the solutions by preparing ourselves. We form relationships with key people and work on the CAT as a whole. Then once we are prepared we go into the planning phase, in which we develop objectives and outcomes and plan towards these ends using the data to guide us and the activities to provide us with the means for proven results utilizing our network of members and community volunteers.
Events
To get us kicked off this year we have a few scheduled events. The first is a Shoulder Tap this month which we will discuss in more depth next meeting as well as the locations and timing of the event. There are other events planned but we can discuss them at the next meeting.
One-One Interviews
We can utilize the one-on-one interviews in speaking to perspective members from our list. I will hand out the questions and go over them at next weeks meeting.

Future Happenings

Shoulder Tap TBD
GCAT Meeting at 2pm-4pm Wed. Sept 10th

Other Points of Interest
If people can’t make the next meeting could they shoot me a quick e-mail. Also if they could include any pertinent information they have regarding data collection, the Shoulder Tap coming up or the membership expansion list and anyone they can talk to from it. Thanks.

Next Meeting- Sept 10th @ 2:00pm at Gardner High School

GCAT Meeting

GCAT (Gardner Community Action Team)
Minutes

July 1st 2008

Attendance- Joshua Tackett (CMCA), Sean Harris (LUK,CMCHC), Amy Whitney (MADD), Cathy Apostoleris (MOC), Mariah Harding (SADD), Samantha Permenter (SADD), Tim Gamache (SADD), Gabby Istivan (SADD), Josh Caron (SADD)

Items Discussed

SADD Project plan
Getting into the Middle Schools and getting SADD help
Shoulder Taps/Sticker Shock
Sticker Shock planned for August 29th during the day and Shoulder Tap planned for Leominster when confirmed.
Events
Planning events throughout the year 3 in total the first to be held in October in the form of Town Hall Meeting to achieve the goals of getting message out there as well as attracting members also giving a forum for SADD kids to make presentation
One-One Interviews
We are attempting to get around 50 people interviewed this month, people from all walks of life and all parts of the city. We have divided the list up and have people asking folk from everywhere and will continue to ask for referrals.
Event Calendar
We will come up with a calendar showing the events planned for each month up to the month of January at that time we’ll review the activities and decide upon the next few months based off of what we think worked and where we should be spending our energy

Future Happenings

Sticker Shock Aug 29th
Parental Pursuit Training Aug 29th
Shoulder Tap for Leominster
One-One Interviews throughout the month

Other Points of Interest
We have divided the responsibilities for the GCAT meetings and from now on we will be giving the responsibility of agenda writing to one member and minute taking to another. I have forms for both that I will add to this E-mail. The format for the Agenda will be that one person will be the contact person for everyone who has an item that they would like to discuss with the group. Along with the item should be an approximate time frame to discuss it. When we meet the items will all be on the agenda and as a group we will spend a few minutes to decide which one to tackle first. As for minute taking one person will be responsible to take general minutes of the meetings. Both of these responsibilities are on a volunteer basis and you aren’t required to volunteer two months in a row so as to give people a chance to participate in meetings more directly.

Next Meeting- Sept 2nd @ 2:00pm at Gardner High School

Agenda- Gabby (GHS) llama1992@gmail.com Please address any agenda questions or suggestions to Gabby.

Minute Taker- Tim (GHS)