Letters to the Editor
Letter letters

Letter: How Darien Teens Are Helping to Get Information Out About Binge Drinking

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To the editor:

We, the presidents of the Youth Asset Team, are writing to address and provide a teen perspective on the Thriving Youth Task Force’s “Our Darien” campaign. For those who are unaware with the Youth Asset Team, we are the student branch of the Thriving Youth Task Force, an initiative of The Community Fund of Darien which represents over fifty local organizations that strive to promote positive assets in young people in order to reduce risky behaviors. We are currently collaborating on this nationally recognized “Our Darien” social marketing campaign, which educates parents and students about the detrimental effects of binge drinking. Some of our ongoing activities include: panel participation in presentations for parents of younger students, planning, promoting and executing prevention-related speakers and events, participating in community service, and mentoring to the newly created middle school branch of the Youth Asset Team. All of us originally joined the Youth Asset Team because we wanted to make a difference locally by providing a teen perspective on issues affecting our age group.

Letters to the Editor

Letter: Dangerous Myths About Teen Drinking Need To Be Cleared Up

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To the editor:

We are writing to support the “Our Darien” Campaign, launched by the Thriving Youth Task Force of The Community Fund of Darien. This Campaign focuses on underage drinking and, in particular, how certain attitudes that surround it can be contributing factors. The people who work at Silver Hill Hospital are passionate about educating the community and engaging in prevention efforts in surrounding towns like Darien. _____

“For instance, the earlier kids start drinking, the more likely they are to experience alcohol-related injury and alcohol dependence later in life.” _____

We are proud members of the Thriving Youth Task Force and also provide programs on substance use and mental health in conjunction with the Darien Depot, the Darien YWCA Parent Awareness Program, the Darien Library, and the Darien Health Department.

Healthy Living

Op Ed: Community Fund of Darien’s Teen Binge Drinking Campaign Gets National Recognition

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This opinion piece/announcement is by Carrie Bernier, executive director of the Community Fund of Darien:

The Community Fund’s Thriving Youth Task Force has set its sights on reducing teenage binge drinking in Darien. When they launched the “Our Darien 06820” campaign last winter, they hoped to hit a nerve locally with parents and teens. They didn’t suspect that it would strike a chord nationally, too. Emily Larkin, The Community Fund of Darien’s Thriving Youth director, recently returned from California after presenting Darien’s innovative “06820” campaign to a national audience of substance abuse professionals.  

Darien’s binge drinking prevention campaign is the product of a collaboration between The Community Fund of Darien, the Thriving Youth Task Force and the creative team at Colangelo Synergy Marketing.

Community Organizations
Truth or Consequences event graphic 02-05-17

‘Truth & Consequences’ Panel Discussion on Teen Drinking at DHS Auditorium

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A panel of five area experts will speak at Darien High School on Tuesday night, Feb. 7, about teen drinking from the perspectives of the law and law enforcement, how it impairs teenage brains and athletic abilities and how Darien High School deals with drinking. The meeting is for both parents and students. The panel discussion takes place in Darien High School auditorium from 7 to 8:30 p.m. (or 9 p.m., according to the Community Fund of Darien website). These panel members will be participating in the discussion:

Darien EMS-Post 53 Director Nancy Herling will discuss how Darien ambulance crews respond to intoxicated teens.

Community Organizations
Thriving Youth Initiative Community Fund of Darien toilet 02-02-17

Group Launches Campaign to Counter Darien’s ‘Troubling Rate of Teenage Binge Drinking’

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What does 06820 mean to you? In Darien we value education, celebrate our successes, and are compassionate in times of need. We look out for our neighbors. But there’s a critical way we’re falling short: 06820 is also a place with a troubling rate of teenage binge drinking. ___________

This is an announcement from the Thriving Youth Task Force, led by the Community Fund of Darien.