December WCCC Newsletter

December 2022

We are beyond excited to share all of the upcoming events, recent activities and news from Waunakee Community Cares Coalition. Our work is focused on keeping Waunakee healthy and resilient.  We do this by engaging, empowering, and educating our community in the spaces of alcohol, drug, & nicotine prevention, as well as mental health. In our monthly update, we will offer content, ideas and action steps to engage in this impactful work. Each month will bring strategies and ideas on how to keep Waunakee healthy and resilient.  We hope to grow a community of like-minded members to create a better place for us all to live healthy, love abundantly and leave healthy legacies.
 
Much gratitude, WCCC Team

Welcome to the month of December and we are focusing in on National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention. With the holidays soon approaching, it is important to remind our friends and family about the importance of keeping our loved ones safe when we are often engaging in celebrations that include substances that alter our brain function.  As you spend time with your loved ones this month and ring in the new year, we encourage you to practice safe strategies that ensure your health and safety.  
 
The WCCC has been diligent in their efforts to promote these important messages as well! This past fall, the middle and high school students in our community had the opportunity to learn from one of the most influential speakers in the country around distracted/drunk driving - Cara Filler.  Her message was engaging and inspiring and one that was timely.  See more about her below. Our student leaders also had the chance to spend time with our Intermediate School students this month to teach skills around leading a healthy and resilient life.  The messages we teach our young people can never start early enough.  The WCCC is grateful to be leading efforts in these spaces in our community.
 
Wishing you health, resiliency, and the magic found in connection.  May your holiday be filled with love and joy! Thanks for ENGAGING in our work!

Each month the WCCC plans to showcase one of our amazing partners that are doing impactful work and serving our community in our theme for the month.  This month we showcase Sean Casey from Hometown Pharmacy in Waunakee.

Learn More

We love the mission of Waunakee Community Cares Coalition at Hometown Pharmacy. In particular your vision of creating a healthy and resilient Waunakee while reducing substance abuse.
 
This falls right in line with our goals at Hometown Pharmacy. One of our main goals as a pharmacy is to help people reduce need for medications/prevent from ever needing in the first place through proactive lifestyle interventions (food, movement, sleep, stress management).  
 
We recognize that many factors may lead one to substance abuse including social and mental stresses.  Daily stresses can be heightened even further when the body lacks the nutrients required to supply daily energy and mental focus. 
 
For instance, we know that many individuals are low in vitamin D, magnesium and fish oil.  All three of these three nutrients are critical for mental health and wellness. Thus, we emphasize and test for these nutrients at Hometown Pharmacy, educating on their importance and how people can increase daily intake. 
 
At Hometown Pharmacy, we truly believe health requires a team approach. We look forward to working together with the Waunakee Community Cares Coalition to build a healthy and resilient Waunakee!

More Info

Check out our website to find out a plethora of resources focused on alcohol and drug prevention.

Explore

What we are reading, watching, or listening to?

This month is National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention
Month and who better to learn important strategies from then - Cara Filler, our fall speaker. Below are her resources on traffic safety. 

More Info

 
 
Traffic Safety Resources: 
 
 AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety: The AAA Foundation spreads the word about safe driving to prevent crashes and help new drivers understand the risks about driving.
Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety: Consumer, healthy and safety groups and insurance companies formed this alliance to make America’s roads safer.
Arrive Alive: A great resource for safe and defensive driving guides and techniques.
Car Control: Enroll in a Car Control clinic to learn how to avoid accidents in the future. Unlike standard Driver’s Ed, Car Control teaches drivers what to do in the seconds preceding a crash.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Motor Vehicle Safety: The CDC focuses on improving seat belt use, reducing impaired driving and helping teen drivers. Check out their fact sheet on teen drivers!
Countdown2: Drive: Parents and teens can use this site together to create passenger agreements, set a healthy tone for driving and start building trust around driving.
Every 15 Minutes Program: Every 15 minutes, a person dies due to an alcohol-related collision. This site is an educational experience that highlights the dangers of driving while distracted or impaired.
Fatal Vision Goggles: This popular prevention tool simulates impairment for wearers, teaching them about the dangers of alcohol misuse and abuse.
Governors Highway Safety Administration: The GHSA represents the highway safety offices of all 50 states and creates programs to address impaired driving, speeding and other highway safety issues.
Kids and Cars: This group raises awareness about the dangers of leaving children unsupervised in and around motor vehicles.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Established in 1970, the NHTSA is dedicated to preventing motor vehicle crashes and reducing deaths, injuries and economic losses resulting from crashes. They have a special section just for teen drivers!
National Institute for Driver Behavior: Learn all about preventive habits to reduce and eliminate driving risks.
National Transportation Safety Board: An independent federal agency, the NTSB investigates car crashes in the US and creates safety recommendations to prevent them from happening in the future.
RADD: The entertainment industry’s voice for road safety spreads a positive, hip message about safe driving.
SafeKids Worldwide Motor Vehicle Safety Fact Sheet: Discover the latest statistics about car-related deaths and injuries from this fact sheet.
Stay Alive From Education (SAFE): SAFE’s Street Smart presentation takes audiences into the dramatic experience of paramedics and firefighters who work to save the lives of people who made poor decisions when it comes to driving. Students walk away knowing what it feels like to attempt to save a life, and what it feels like to be the victim.
Teens Drive Smart: New drivers can find tons of great advice on this site, including info on seasonal driving, driving at night, driving with friends, and texting while driving.

What's next for the WCCC?
                 
December 7             Community Visioning Session 
December 9             Intermediate School Kindness Assembly
December 12             Dane County Alliance Meeting
 