Letters to the Editor

Thank You, Sgt. James Palmieri, For Your Dedication to the Youth of This Town

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To the editor,
On behalf of the Thriving Youth Task Force, we give thanks to Darien Police Sgt. James Palmieri for serving as our co-chair this year. For many years, Sgt. Palmieri has been dedicated to helping the youth of Darien, as a school resource officer at Darien High School, the creator of the Juvenile Review Board and most recently, as the co-chair of the Thriving Youth Task Force.  His dedication to the youth of Darien is unparalleled. We are grateful to James for the insight and guidance he provided to our work and his continued dedication to serving, despite his demanding schedule as a sergeant in the Darien Police Department.

Healthy Living
06820 postcard game pong 03-08-17

Thriving Youth Task Force Announces ‘Our Darien 2.0’ Campaign

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The Town of Darien is above par on many indicators of success. When it comes to parenting, we excel at providing our children with every opportunity to nurture their potential. We feed them organic whole foods, we limit sugar intake, sign them up for tutoring, encourage stimulating extra-curricular activities, and make sure they get enough sleep at night. ____________

— This is an announcement from Darien’s Thriving Youth Task Force, an Initiative of The Community Fund of Darien. Darienite has added images from the OurDarien.com website.

Healthy Living
Jamie Roach-Murray New Canaan event 03-16-17

Commentary: Think Europe Has the Right Approach to Teen Drinking? Here’s Evidence They Don’t

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The Thriving Youth Task Force and The Community Fund of Darien must be commended for providing reliable information about the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption. ____________

Editor’s note: This commentary by Dr. Jamie Roach-Murray of Darien, who has been a practicing pediatrician in Darien and now concentrates on public health and health policy. It was submitted as a letter to the editor by the Thriving Youth Task Force, of which she is a member. Darienite.com is treating this as an op-ed, adding subheadings, weblinks and images. At the bottom, we’ve added a video of a recent panel discussion in New Canaan where Roach-Murray spoke.

Healthy Living
Teen Drinking Teenage Drinking Darien Thriving Youth Initiative 02-07-17

Commentary: Parents Need to Make Clear to Teens That Drinking Is Unacceptable

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The team of psychologists, therapists, and educators at the Southfield Center applaud the public health campaign initiated by the Thriving Youth Task Force of The Community Fund of Darien. ________

— Dr. Frank Bartolomeo, Ph.D is director of behavioral health services at Southfield Center for Development in Darien and a member of the Thriving Youth Task Force. All images and links on this page were added by Darienite.com. A presentation for teenagers and parents on the consequences of teen drinking is scheduled for 7 p.m., Tuesday at Darien High School Auditorium. 

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By any measure, binge drinking during adolescence is a serious public health concern with both immediate and serious consequences for teenagers and their families and with long-term costs to our society. Neuroscientific research over the last 10 years has conclusively demonstrated that alcohol not only affects the developing adolescent brain differently from an adult brain, but can interfere with normal brain functioning.

Community Organizations
Thriiving Youth 15-10-27

$100K Grant Awarded for Darien Youth Substance Abuse/Mental Health Program

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The Community Fund of Darien has received a competitive annual grant of $100,000 for the next five years to implement a strategic prevention plan to reduce substance abuse and improve mental health among Darien’s youth and their parents. ______________

— an announcement (slightly edited) from the Community Fund of Darien

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With this grant, the State of Connecticut recognizes The Community Fund’s prevention and asset-development work with the Thriving Youth Initiative and the student asset survey. The Community Fund of Darien will dedicate resources to engage the whole community in a long-term plan to promote positive youth development and mental health. “We are thrilled to be a recipient of this important prevention grant. It allows us to collaborate town-wide with leaders working with youth and to invest on a deeper level in our Thriving Youth Task Force,” said Executive Director Carrie Bernier.

Community Organizations
Emily Larkin

Community Fund of Darien Hires Emily Larkin to Run ‘Thriving Youth’ Program

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The Community Fund of Darien has hired Emily Larkin as the Thriving Youth Program Coordinator. The Thriving Youth Task Force includes over forty-two town leaders who work with teens and their parents to improve resiliency, positive assets and to reduce risky behaviors among the youth in Darien. Larkin will serve as a co-chair of the Thriving Youth Task Force with Alicia Sillars, Youth Director for the Town of Darien. __________

This is an announcement from the Community Fund of Darien. __________

 

Larkin, a graduate of Wilton High School, is excited to contribute to The Community Fund’s work of promoting healthy asset development in Darien’s youth.