Prevention through Connection
January 2016
Celebrate National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week
It's about our Youth, their Health and their Future
 
Manhasset CASA has always valued the importance of collaboration to help youth grow up healthy and safe in our communty. In fact, since 2001, we have coined the phrase Prevention through Connection.  While connection is paramount in our mission, we also recognize that "prevention" education in the areas of science, social and emotional growth is equally as important. 

We invite parents and teens to join us as we celebrate N ational Drug & Alcohol Facts Week (January 25-29), begin our 2016 Power of Parenting Series, and fitness fundraise with three local philanthropic fitness studios who have graciously provided FREE Fitness Friday's to support healthy youth!

National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week (January 25-29) marks a national health observance for teens to promote local events that use science to SHATTER THE MYTHS about drugs.
As part of a school wide youth effort for National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week, Manhasset High School's Art Honor Society, led by Advisor Myrna Stein, worked in the early morning hours to decorate banners which were hung throughout the school.  Additionally, students from the MHS Key Club, led by Advisor Lauren Sadeh, organized Drug and Alcohol Facts Posters detailing little known facts about the dangers of these substances to youth.
 
Manhasset CASA's Youth Committee Club, led by Advisor Traci LeDour, will host Dr. Stephen Dewey's The Fragile Teen Brain  on Wednesday, January 27th at 7:30 p.m. in the Black Box Theatre at Manhasset High School.  Dr. Dewey is an Investigator at the Center for Behavioral & Molecular Imaging at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research who simply shows parents and teens what he sees everyday through his research and candidly discusses how the teen brain responds to alcohol and drug use.  

We look forward to seeing you at our many events this January.  If you would like to learn more about CASA or join our membership, please visit us at manhassetcasa.org or like us on Facebook.

Manhasset CASA Executive Board
Power of Parenting Series begins this week!
Features Building Resiliency in Our Children

Thanks to the sponsorship of Senator Jack M. Martins and the Manhasset Public Library, CASA is again hosting its 2016 Power of Parenting Series. 

Our first program, Building Resiliency in our Children, will be held on Thursday, January 28th at 1:00 p.m. or 7:00 p.m. in the Community Room of the Manhasset Public Library. The program features Vanessa McMullan, LCSW, clincial social work supervisor at The Marks Family Right From The Start 0-3+ Center of North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center. Ms. McMullan will explore the importance of fostering  resiliency in children as a foundation for raising healthy and self-confident youth.  

Please join our efforts to strengthen families and help kids grow up to be healthy and safe!

Teens & Dealing with Disappointment
Insight from CCE's Family Health & Wellness Blog

CASA is happy to connect you with insight from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County's Family Health and Wellness Program as a resource for raising children of all ages!

Tim Jahn, M.Ed, our Active Parenting of Teens educator, discusses how teens who are left to struggle with disappointment will often develop better coping skills and be better off in the long run.  To read more about how disappointment is a recurring fact of life for pre-teens and teens CLICK HERE.

The New Gateway Drug isn't so New
Early Onset is Key ....with Alcohol!

Many believe that the likelihood of a teen's substance abuse later in life is often the result of their using the "gateway" drug marijuana. 

A recent Washington Post news article outlines the results of a new research study of 12th grade students ( 2015 Monitoring the Future Study) and how alcohol is actually the most widely used "gateway" substance among youth and is more commonly used in the progression of substance use. 

To read more of the Washington Post's interesting article, The Real Gateway Drug is 100% legal, CLICK HERE.

CASA Fitness Fundraiser Includes Free Teen Classes!
Last week to Get 10% off Fitness Packages
 
Three local philanthropic fitness studios have joined forces to provide a Fitness Fundraiser for Manhasset Coalition Against Substance Abuse (CASA)!  Evolution Pilates of Port Washington, Pure Barre of Manhasset and Ryde @ EPhysique of Manhasset will donate a portion of proceeds from their January classes to Manhasset CASA.   The studios will also offer a 10% discount on January purchases! All residents and teens are invited to get fit in the New Year and support Manhasset CASA! CLICK HERE for our flyer!

As part of the studios' remarkable dedication to Manhasset youth, each facility has graciously hosted a free teen class this January beginning at 5:45 p.m. on Friday nights with one remaining:  
  • Evolution Pilates on January 8th and January 22nd
  • Ryde @ E Physique on January 15th
  • Pure Barre on January 29th
Since 2003, Evolution Pilates in Port Washington ( www.pilatesevolution.com) has been Long Island's premier Pilates studio offering private and group Pilates apparatus and TRX lessons.   Owner Mo Wolfe states "Evolution Pilates has been committed to fundraising in the community for several years and is thrilled to be working with CASA.  This alliance is a natural fit to help reach young people and their adults to address not only the perils of substance abuse, but to provide healthy alternatives that will hopefully serve them for life.  We consider this part of Moving it Forward."

Pure Barre in Manhasset ( www.purebarre.com/ny-manhasset) provides a 55-minute full body workout that utilizes a technique that is low impact, protecting your joints by avoiding any bouncing or jumping.  Strengthening sections of the workout are followed by stretching in order to create long, lean muscles without bulk.  Pure Barre owners Deena Cavalli and Jenny Brenholz add, "We are excited to give back to the community that has fully embraced us since we opened in Manhasset almost two years ago."

Ryde @ EPhysique in Manhasset  ( www.rydeephysique) is a boutique fitness studio that offers indoor cycling on Real Ryder bikes, TRX, Sculpt classes and Personal Training.  Ryde prides themselves on small class sizes with exceptional instructors that give personal attention to each client.  Owner Lisa Motti states that a fundraiser for CASA is important to her "Now more then ever.  As a recently widowed mother of 3 girls my only focus is keeping them safe, healthy and happy.  CASA gives that sense of security and allows me to continue to raise my girls without the stress of all the outside influences. Knowing how life changes in an instant, my hope is for my girls, as well as all girls in the community, to grow up to become the women they were intended to be.  Healthy and positive alternatives strengthens our families and t(w)eens."

For more information please visit each studio's website.  In order to sign up for classes and receive a 10% discount off purchases at Evolution Pilates and Pure Barre use promo code: CASA16 at their websites. To schedule a class at Ryde, please call 516-708-1916; to obtain the 10% discount,  purchases must be made at the studio.
Manhasset Community 
Coalition Against Substance Abuse (CASA), Inc. 
P.O. Box 392
Manhasset, NY 11030
(516) 267-7548
  
Manhasset CASA exists as a resource to reduce the illegal, underage use of alcohol, tobacco, & other drugs among its youth, before they are in trouble, by connecting parents, schools and the community as partners in the common goal.  In 2013, CASA was honored to receive its second five year Drug Free Communities Support Grant (DFC) by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).  Our goals are to reduce substance abuse among youth and, over time, among adults; and to establish and strengthen collaboration among communities, private nonprofit agencies, and federal, state, and local governments to support the efforts of our community coalition to prevent and reduce substance abuse among youth.