Minutes - Community For Care Committee

Community for Care

 Meeting Minutes

March 13, 2019

Call to Order at 5:45pm.

Cheryl Cook, Selectwoman and Chair of the Community for Care Committee called the meeting to order at 5:45pm on Wednesday, March 13, 2019.  The meeting was held in the Program Room of the Simsbury Public Library.  In attendance were  Sue Homrok-Lempke, Assistant Superintendent; Karen Gallagher; Sarah Gwinn,  Sara Ray, Teen Librarian, Simsbury Public Library; Richard Holden; Amy Muska; Marc Lehman; Kristen Formanek, Director of Community and Social Services; Lt. Fred Sifodaskalakis, Becky Rosenthal; Sally Reiger;  Ana Sennott.

The following guests were present: Scott Baker, Craig and Ainsley Thompson. Craig and Ainsley Thompson spoke at public audience.

New Business:

Introduction of the guests were made. Ainsley Thompson expressed her desire to join the Community for Care.

Cheryl spoke briefly about the need for a Vice-Chair to assist with running the committee and said that Sarah Gwinn has volunteered to serve as Vice-Chair.  A motion to elect Sarah Gwinn as Vice-Chair of the Community for Care was made and seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

The committee discussed upcoming programs related to the request from the Board of Education and the Board of Selectmen for the Community for Care to develop diversity and bias programming for the Town of Simsbury.  The sub-committee formed at the last meeting met several times and interviewed professional facilitators.  The sub-committee recommended to the Committee the City Spirit Program run by the Department of Justice.  Ms. Homrok-Lempke described the program and the Committee discussed the matter.  A motion was made to move forward with the City Spirit program.  The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.

Ms. Formanek spoke to the committee about possible programs related to the Day of Caring.  The program for May was discussed and the Committee decided to engage Martha Brackeen-Harris to facilitate a program based on the young adult book, The Hate U Give.  Sara Ray will take the lead in organizing the program to be held on May 15, 2019 at 6:30pm.

Adjournment: Ms. Cook made a motion to Adjourn at 6:23pm.  Ms. Rosenthal seconded the motion. All were in favor.

The Committee adjourned to the Eating Disorders program with Julia Tannenbaum, Local Teen and Author of Changing Ways; Elizabeth Parcella, RD, ProHealth Physicians; and Alyssa Bennett, MD, Connecticut Children's Adolescent Medicine Clinic.

Next meeting: May 15, 2019

Respectfully Submitted,

Cheryl Cook, Chairperson