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MCSAAC Announces New Board Members and
Annual Award Winners
The Middlesex County Substance Abuse Action Council (MCSAAC) held its 19th Annual Meeting on October 16 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cromwell. A crowd of fifty welcomed new board members, acknowledged new grant recipients, and celebrated the winners of the MCSAAC Annual Awards. Keynote speaker was Anne Yurasek of FIO Partners, who discussed the use of social media in community development.
The six new members of the MCSAAC Advisory Board include Patricia Charles (School Superintendent for Westbrook), Christopher Cope (State Police Trooper), Izzi Greenberg (Executive Director of North End Action Team), Matthew Lesser (State Legislator), Patrick McMahon (Acting Chief of Police for Middletown), John Paine (Xavier High School student), and Peter Zipf (Youth Director at East Hampton Bible Church).
The Developmental Dollars grant recipients for projects that build youth assets and guard against substance abuse were: North End Action Team (Hiking Club and College Mentoring Program), Green Street Arts Center (Peer Education Performance Project), Northern Middlesex YMCA (Y Be Fit!), Coginchaug Regional High School (EDGE), Durham/Middlefield Youth and Family Services (community outreach and guest speaker series), Clinton Youth and Family Service Bureau (Peer Advocates), Oddfellows Playhouse (Neighborhood Troupes Program and Arts Explorers Program), Rushford Center (SMART Leaders Education Program), John Lyman School (Go Far! Program), Westbrook High School (Peer Counselors).
Larry McHugh, president of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce, dedicated the MCSAAC Business Award in honor of Harry Eben Burr for his many years of dedication to substance abuse prevention. In turn, Mr. Burr presented the first annual Harry E. Burr Business Award for Prevention Awareness to Firehouse Steakhouse and Halligan Taproom of Middletown. The popular restaurant and bar was the first to participate in MCSAAC’s Designated Driver campaign.
The Terry Concannon Elected Official award went to Honorable Laura Francis, First Selectman of Durham. The Father Michael O’Hara Volunteers of the Year award was presented to Sharon Lessard and Rich Annino, co-chairs of the Westbrook Local Prevention Council. Janna Moen, a high school senior at Valley Regional, won the Youth Leader of the Year award.
Students from Middletown High School were on hand to accept the Prevention Program of the Year award. Their Asset Poster Project – implemented by Middletown Youth Services in collaboration with Dragons in Action, Rams in Action and Cougars in Action – was judged the most effective substance abuse prevention program in 2008-2009. Second-place recognition of excellence went to the Together We Can Coalition for their parent-police Party Patrol initiative.
Middlesex County Substance Abuse Action Council is a public-private partnership dedicated to reduce substance abuse by enlisting businesses, social services, and public sector leaders in its prevention efforts. Anyone interested in receiving more information on how to get involved in local substance abuse prevention efforts should call the MCSAAC office at (860) 347-3959. |
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