Here`s - The Resource Connection

Educariesti...saofenchoices
Prevention hea
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CALAVERAS CRISIS CENTER and
Calaveras Crisis Center 209.754.1300 24 hour hotline 209.736.4011
Prevention Education 209.754.6183 yfought@trcac.org egilbert@trcac.org
DECEMBER 2015
Volume 5 , Issue 12
Prevention and Friends...
Teaching Preschool
students at
Head Start
West Point to
be safe
around guns.
STOP!
DON’T TOUCH!
LEAVE the AREA and
TELL an ADULT!
Reading and
sharing
stories
at Head
Start
Murphys
Prevention Team
Yvonne Fought
Liz Gilbert
Prevention Programs:
Parents and children enjoy
an Early Head Start (0-3 y)
Group Socialization put on
by The Resource Connection
Home Visitors staff.
Seeking and Telling Stories in Real Time!
I’m a story seeker. Most of us are! That’s why it’s no
surprise that social media and instant news feeds in the
palm of our hand have mesmerized so many. We’re attracted to information and in particular to stories! Before
getting my own account, I often wondered how people
could spend so much time on social media; scrolling
through the lives, stories and drama of others. Many of
these ‘others’ are strangers in real time, but on sites like
Facebook, they become allies or sometimes even adversaries to spar with over politics and personal opinions.
People are story seekers and storytellers, so friend or
foe, this always available exchange of comments, this
peek into someone else’s life, that’s a powerful lure.
The problem is that while we’re swapping instant story
bites with hundreds of people, we might be missing out
on the more important stories right in our own home with
family and friends we actually know. I cringe at commercials showing each family member happily on their own
tablet, earphones tuned in and their family and the real
world tuned out. Why are we endorsing this as ‘normal’?
Don’t get me wrong; I won’t give up my quiet time with a
book and I savor tuning out the world sometimes, but I
enjoy catching up with the real people in my life even
more. Phone calls from our now grown kids push any
other distraction aside, even though we hear from them
most every week. I’m as interested now as when they
were growing up and sharing with me after school about
their day. I’m interested in their stories! I also look forward to family get-togethers for the stories; many which
have been re-told over and over throughout the years
and passed on to each generation as a family treasure.
My mom and her sisters would often disagree on some
of the story ‘facts’, but then this colorful sibling exchange
would also become a new story for us to laugh about
and pass down. Most favorite stories are often about our
animals. Pets are probably the most talked about family
members because they love us unconditionally and without saying a word, they manage to entertain, console
and give us stories to tell long after they’re gone. I want
to keep hearing and telling those family and pet stories
because that’s how we learn about and preserve our
history. Taking the time to call an aunt, cousin or other
family member we’ve lost touch with can help recapture
some childhood stories to share with our own kids and
rekindle a family connection. Stories are also a tremendous teaching tool. History, math, social behavior and
character lessons are far easier to remember and more
enjoyable when taught in story form. It works at home
too. Before social media and the endless online answers
to endless online questions, people learned the skill and
value of conversation and research. Research can begin
in your own backyard with your own kids. Go for a ‘story
walk’ and let them discover and share with you what they
notice in the garden, along the road or in the trees.
Encourage them to be curious and be curious with them!
Teach what you know and then let them research some
more with you on that fancy tablet. Be a story seeker and
storyteller in real time and keep the tradition going!
- Yvonne Dwyer Fought
Tuesday-Thursday
S.A.F.E. SELF
Safe, Assertive, Fit
Education for
Preschool
Elementary
Middle School
High School
P.E.P. Talks:
Prevention Ed
for Parents
and Community
Calendar
December 5
International
Volunteer Day
December 7
Letter Writing Day…
send someone a hand
written letter!
Hanukkah Begins
Happy Hanukkah!
Dec 22
First Day of Winter
Dec 25
Christmas Day!
Merry Christmas!
Dec 31
New Year’s Eve!
DECEMBER - 2015
Page 2
Make this Holiday Season
One to Remember!
Prevention Education
Family Book Share !
Visit the library for lots of holiday themed
books, music and movies that are available,
FREE!
Peef the Christmas Bear
by Tom Hegg and Warren Hanson
The Christmas season is here. For many of us,
Here’s an endearing Christmas story to
Make food treats for the winter birds that visit
that means thoughts of gift buying, big meals
your
yard.
There
are
lots
of
ideas
and
recipes
add
to your holiday collection for ages 4
and family gatherings. It can make us feel a
on-line or from books you can get at the library. and up. Colorful illustrations will capture
bit overwhelmed and stressed. You may be
your attention and the sweet tale will
wondering…what else can we do as a family
Make celebrations about being with friends and
to make this season and our time together
warm your heart as you read about Peef,
family that is not centered on gift giving.
more meaningful? We are fortunate that we live
the little Bear made by Santa himself.
Take advantage of all the nature our area has
in an area where there are lots of choices of
Peef loves his magical life with Santa but
to offer including hiking trails, parks and other
ways to have fun together while also learning
longs to be a child’s
outdoor attractions.
about new things, enjoying the outdoors and
beloved
toy bear. You’ll
reaching out and helping others. Here are just
Discover the power of storytelling. Take turns
want to have your own
a few ideas.
telling stories you remember from your
“Peef, the Christmas Bear”
childhood and encourage your family members
Attend holiday concerts, plays or programs
after reading his story!
to come up with some of their own.
presented by young people. Check the local
papers for what is happening in the area.
Start a new tradition that fits your family’s
Once Again Thrift Store,
lifestyle…celebrate something fun and unique
on December 27th!
Take time to talk to your children or other
young people about the needs of others.
Check out the Volunteer Center of Calaveras at
www.calaverasvolunteer.com
for opportunities to help. Don’t forget that
donating blood may be an option for you and
your older children.
San Andreas
Manager, Marie Freitas
Senior 10% Discount Tuesday
Roll the Dice Wednesday
Use your imagination and the creative powers
of your family members. There are no limits to
what you and your loved ones can come up
with. You can make this holiday season one
your family will always remember!
O.A.T.S
Store Hours Mon - Fri 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Donation Hours Mon - Fri 10 am- 4 pm
Saturday 10 am -3 pm 209-754-0692
— Liz Gilbert
Santa’s Express
December 21, 2015
To receive a ham or turkey and all the
fixings for a holiday dinner, you must
sign up in person at the Food Bank
by December 9th.
If you have a child or children newborn to
17 years-old, you will also receive a voucher
to shop for their gifts.
For more information, call the Food Bank at
209.754.1257
“The invariable mark of
wisdom, is to see the
miraculous in the common.”
Sells gently used items such as furniture,
clothing, books, and household items to
benefit the Calaveras Crisis Center.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
SUPPORT GROUPS
For Women Only
“It is December, and nobody
Women in Troubled Relationships
Wednesday’s 10:00 AM -11:30 AM
asked if I was ready.”
Domestic Violence Support Group
Tuesday’s 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Call for more information: 209.754.1300
― Sarah Kay
S.A.F.E Self... Healthy, Happy Activity: Going on a Story Walk
INGREDIENTS
Have each Story Walker bring along...

“Story Goggles”
imaginary...

Notebook

Pencils

Sm. pencil sharpener

Crayons or

colored pencils

Small bucket

Imagination!
Steps
Choose a place to walk...the park,
your neighborhood, a farmers market,
a street in town, etc.
Have kids put on their “story goggles” to remind them
to be observant.
Have kids each bring, in their small bucket,
a notebook, pencils, and crayons or colored pencils
for recording. And...their imagination...
During the story walk,
Have children each spy and record 5 items for their story.
Have them write a description and / or sketch the item
in their notebook.
Encourage them to add color to make the item look ‘real’.
Some items, such as pebbles or already fallen leaves can be
collected in their bucket to bring home.
Once you return home,
have them write or tell a story including all 5 ‘collected’ items.
For the young ones, have them just describe the items and
ask them to tell you a little story about each one.
Model this by telling your own short story,
using the five items they ‘collected’.
You can do a Story Walk for each season and then bind the four
stories along with the sketches together to make a
Seasonal Story Walk Book !
adapted from Show me a Story craft book by Emily K Neuburger
Please contact Yvonne or Liz in Prevention Education to join our Newsletter mailing list