Prevention Happens Here

The Community Coalition of Forest County has been working diligently to bring the community together to celebrate prevention efforts county wide. CCFC has partnered with Forest County Potawatomi, Sokaogon Chippewa of Mole Lake, UW Extension, the county school districts and Stop the Dealing and Start the Healing to provide an action filled week. The planning committee is following CDC guidelines to have events outdoors and follow safety protocol.  

National Prevention Week, celebrated the week of May 9 – 15th, is a program of SAMHSA-Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services. Some of this year’s Forest county highlights include bringing nationally known speakers to our area!   National youth speaker Jake White from VIVE 18 will be visit the Forest county schools during the week to speak about sober parties.  The Forest County Potawatomi Tribal community is excited to have comedian Mylo Smith, sharing in a sobriety feast and bringing his sense of humor during these difficult times.

Listed below are activities being planned:

Sunday May 9th a Mother’s Day Golf Scramble will be held at Maplewood Golf Course in Pickerel

Monday May10th Drive in Movie at Laona School 7:30 PM

Tuesday May 11th Sobriety Feast with Comedy show by Mylo Smith at Pow Wow grounds in Carter 6-9 PM

Wednesday May 12th VIVE 18 at Laona School,  at 6:00 PM   parents from Forest County are invited to join Facebook Live with VIVE 18- Jake White

Thursday May 13th VIVE18 at Crandon and Wabeno Schools,  Drumming and Recovery Talking Circle in  Mole Lake at Dinesen House  4 PM

Friday May 14th  The 4th Annual Recovery Walk- Meeting at Stone Lake C-store at 8:00 AM, 8:30 send off  to Dinesen House in Mole Lake with fire, feast , and speakers to follow. Rides and rest stops available.  

Saturday May15th Parade at Noon in Crandon with celebration at Cardinal Park to follow with games, food, prizes, educational materials, and speakers. Forest County is fortunate to have many generous businesses and personal donations that make events like this happen to enhance our county and health. Please join us!

Facebook LIVE Event a success

The Community Coalition of Forest county is excited to release the Facebook LIVE video event that took place on the evening of Wednesday, March 24th. The intent of the event was to create a community gathering space that educated and united community members about substance abuse issues, solutions, and prevention efforts taking place in Forest County. The Facebook LIVE venue was chosen due to issues related to the COVID pandemic.

Support for the event was almost immediate with 20+ viewers engaging in the LIVE broadcast and over 600 viewers engaging with the LIVE video post since the event.

Public Invited to Participate in the Community Coalition of Forest County’s Facebook Live Presentation

The Community Coalition of Forest County is hosting a Facebook Live event on Wednesday March 24 at 6:00 PM.

This event is to highlight the Coalition’s efforts to build and support a healthy, safe and substance free community. The Community Coalition of Forest County has continued to focus on the wellbeing on the citizens of Forest County during the pandemic and although we hoped to offer an Education Series in a Town Hall setting the Covid 19 Pandemic allowed us the opportunity to complete an educational video series. The video series addresses Mental Health, Understanding Addiction, Trauma, and Prevention efforts in our county. 

 Larry Palubicki – Crandon School Administrator, will be the moderator for this event with some of our guest panelist who offered their expertise while making the videos. Please join us on Facebook March 24th at 6:00 PM with comments, questions, and to show support.

Prevention and Recovery: The Community Coalition of Forest County’s Prevention Efforts – (Part 4 of an Educational Video Series)

Our 4th video in the 4-part Mental Health and Substance Use educational series is now published.

Part 4 focuses on all the good work being done in Forest County related to substance abuse prevention and building resiliency.

This video features Mary Thornton, a Recovery Advocate with Marshfield Clinic AmeriCorps and Kim Soldier, the chair of the Community Coalition of Forest County. Mary and Kim share examples of the efforts and activities that the CCFC has partnered to provide in Forest County.

Trauma and Stress: The Impact on the Mental Health of Youth and Adults – (Part 3 of an Educational Video Series)

UW Madison-Extension of Forest County is partnering with the Community Coalition of Forest County and its many members to offer activities and education to all age groups and cultures in our diverse county to improve the health and well-being of our residents with a focus on substance abuse prevention and building resiliency.  

Check out the third video in the 4-part Mental Health and Substance Use educational series – “What About Trauma”.

Two local Behavioral Health providers, Linda Chasteen and Angela Jacobsen discuss the many different forms of trauma and some of the behaviors that may be indicate someone is experiencing negative effects related to previous trauma. Angela and Linda share some treatment approaches, resources and give hope for those on a journey towards well-being. 

Look for the entire 4-part video series featuring conversations with Forest County professionals who will share their knowledge, experience, and resources.  

- Mental Health and Mental Illness Basics (released in July) with Lynn McCorkle and Mary Thornton  

- Understanding Addiction (released in September) with Brian Schultz  

- Trauma and Stress: The Impact on the Mental Health of Youth and Adults with Linda Chasteen and Angela Jacobsen

- Prevention Efforts in Forest County.  

The videos are posted at both the U.W. Madison-Division of Extension - Forest County and the Community Coalition of Forest County websites.  

Learn more about the current and upcoming programs and services of UW-Madison Division of Extension Forest County at http://forest.extension.wisc.edu or call 715.478-7797.   

Holiday Pajama Drive a Huge Success

The Community Coalition of Forest County in partnership with the Forest County Social Services Department and the Forest County Drug Endangered Children Committee hosted a Holiday PajamaDrive.  This was a HUGE success.  We would like to thank the individuals and businesses who donated and helped with the Pajama Drive.

Jody Jensen, Director of Social Services and Mary Thornton, Community Coalition of Forest County AmeriCorps Recovery Advocate, pose with the pajama sets that were generously donated by local individuals, and businesses in support of the Drug Endangered Children Committee.

Holiday Pajama Drive

The Community Coalition of Forest County, in partnership with the Forest County Social Services Department and the Forest County Drug Endangered Children committee are hosting a Holiday Pajama Drive now through December 22nd

The pajamas will be distributed as part of the Forest County Drug Endangered Children committee’s backpack program utilized by both the Forest County Social Services Departments and the Forest County Sheriff Department as part of their work with drug endangered children.  The backpacks contain personal care items, including pajamas, for children that are removed from endangered environments and must leave their belongings behind due to various circumstances.

Drop off sites for the Holiday Pajama drive are as follows:  Forest County Courthouse lobby, Crandon Public Library, Laona State Bank – Laona office, Laona Town Hall and the Wabeno Branch of the Laona State Bank.

The Community Coalition asks that the pajamas be brand-new, in children’s sizes 3T through age 12, and manufactured as pajamas in order to ensure they are flame-retardant and safe.  For more information please contact Mary Thornton at mary.thornton@co.forest.wi.us or call 715-478-7797.