Yes, we want you to attend Celebrate Youth 2010, Wheeling Park Skating Rink August 12 from 11 am Rain or Shine!

Festival will go on come rain or shine at the Wheeling Park Skating Rink

Photo: L-R, Shannan Kemp, Big Brothers Big Sisters director; Tammy Tomazoli, Wheeling Community Child Care Center; John Moses, Youth Services System director; Linda Edwards, Community Child Care Center director.

Bowl for Kids’ Sake is an annual event for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upper Ohio Valley. However, Shannan Kemp, the Big Brothers Big Sisters executive director,  was a bit surprised when she received a call from Youth Services System to help.

“John Moses called and asked about helping us with a project. He wanted to honor one of our volunteers, Marilyn Companion, who had recently died.”

As it happens, Marilyn Companion, a school teacher for 38 years, was also a friend to Youth Services System’s Wheeling Community Child Care Center. The Center runs a before and after school program at Elm Grove Elementary School.  Mrs. Companion worked with the Child Care Center, quietly sponsoring tuition for children at the center throughout the years.

Youth Services System sponsored a Bowl for Kids’ Sake fundraiser among its employees and presented Big Brothers Big Sisters with $1000 to remember Mrs. Companion’s work with children.

yss-winter-2010-newsletter

November was National Runaway Youth Prevention Month. Follansbee Middle School’s newspaper, the Follansbee Star, organized a month-long donation drive to supply personal hygiene products for runaways and other youth served by Youth Services System’s emergency shelters. Larry Kutay, YSS director of residential services, is shown here with the FMS newspaper staff and a portion of the goods received during the drive.

From left to right        

front row: Adrianna Bailey, Samantha Barney, Tanner Johnson, Adam Law, Shelby Cronin, Alexa Gerrard, Lauren Fritz, Caitling Cuomo and Larry Kutay
middle row: Megan Harless (teacher), Sam Delong, Jakob Heilman, Alex Tate, Bailey Donell, Danielle Milantoni
Back row: Jessica Beck, Trina Ostrosky, Tre Beaumont, Jessica Beasley, Lindsay Six

I am writing to you on behalf of the Friends of Joe Pettit Benefit Steak/Chicken Fry.  On Wednesday, September 23rd, Joe Pettit was on his way to Morgantown for a teacher training.  In a tragic turn of events, Joe was struck head on by another driver.  He had to be removed from the vehicle and life flighted to Ruby Memorial Hospital because of his injuries.  Thankfully, he never lost consciousness or his sense of humor.  He sustained many injuries including a broken left collar bone, right leg, left wrist, fractured left knee, broken ribs, and torn ligaments in his left leg.  Due to his injuries, he has had multiple surgeries to fix these and will have to have physical therapy to restore his ability to walk and work again.

Joe is a major influence on the students and athletes within the community.  He has coached and worked as a substitute teacher in Marshall and Ohio counties for many years.  He is an outstanding, positive role model for them.  Joe is a major contibutor to the activities in which he is a part of.  The most difficult reality he is enduring is that his wife, Karen, and children, Deven and Josie, will have to deal with the financial hardships that are the result of this unforseen accident.

We, the Friends of Joe Pettit, are hosting a Benefit Steak/Chicken Fry on Saturday, November 14th at Limestone Community Building.  The benefit will begin at 6p.m.  Tickets are $20.00 each.  Meal includes: Steak or Chicken, Baked Potato, Salad & Roll, Dessert & Beverage.  We are requesting donations for this event.  Donations can be made out to Friends of Joe Pettit and sent in c/o Randy and Susie Cubick RD # 4 Box 421 Cameron, WV 26033.  If you have any questions or would like more information, please feel free to contact Susie Cubick at 304-686-3402.

We would like to thank you for your compassion and generosity.  Joe Pettit and his family will be forever grateful for your donation, as well as the Friends of Joe Pettit Benefit committee.

Rev. Bob Johnson (Center), chairman of the Youth Services System, Inc. Board accepts a contribution from Todd Nestor of BB&T Bank Wheeling (Right) as John Moses, YSS executive director looks on. The gift from BB&T’s West Virginia Foundation supports We Are The Future, a youth leadership and community service group sponsored through Youth Services System. Youth involved with We Are The Future participate in community service work and promote positive and healthy activities for youth.

We Are The Future is a youth leadership group sponsored by Youth Services System. This group has developed a range of activities that allow each member to build their skills and community connections. Members use music, dance, and public presentations to promote positive values. They work to prevent underage drinking and drug use and offer their services on a variety of community projects.

We Are The Future did a video called Choices where individuals in recovery from substance abuse discussed what they lost through their addictions. Youth from the group are working actively with the Ohio County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, producing public service announcements for local TV. We Are The Future received a grant from the BB& T West Virginia Foundation to support its work. This foundation is the charitable arm of BB&T in our state.

August 31, 2009

Contact:  Heather Markonich or Martha Polinsky

WV SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION COALITIONS IMPRESS LEGISLATORS

WHAT: West Virginia Substance Abuse Prevention Luncheon The West Virginia Region One county substance abuse prevention coalitions invite local legislators to a learning opportunity!  They will learn about numerous substance abuse prevention activities occurring all over the state and locally in Ohio County. 

WHEN:    September 10, 2009 - Noon-1:30p.m.

WHERE:  Youth Service Systems, Inc., Hazel Atlas Building, 87 15^th St. Wheeling, WV 26003

WHO:  This luncheon is sponsored by the Ohio County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition (OCSAPC), West Virginia Prevention Resource Center (WVPRC), and West Virginia Region One County Coalitions from the following: Wetzel, Marshall, Ohio, Gilmer, Harrison, Hancock, Brooke, Monongalia, Marion, Pleasants, Wood, Calhoun, Ritchie, Tyler, Wirt and Doddridge.  Participants will include WV state legislators, WV Region One coalition project directors, WV Prevention Resource Center representatives, and community coalition members.   WVPRC Executive Director Wayne Coombs will address the group and each county will display their county prevention activities to the legislators. 

WHY:  OCSAPC is part of a larger statewide prevention system which has state level participation from the WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being.  This governor appointed partnership has representation form all areas of state government and community organizations.  Often on the county level, we have the same representation within our coalitions.  This luncheon will highlight to legislators the staggering cost of substance abuse to West Virginia and the need for continued support of a state prevention system.  To expedite this process, coalitions support codification of the West Virginia Partnership to Promote Community Well Being.  This luncheon will provide important information to legislators and impress upon them the amazing substance abuse prevention activities occurring in our region and throughout the state of West Virginia.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:  Please contact Martha Polinsky or Heather Markonich at (304) 233-2045 ext. 305 for additional information or to set up an interview.  We encourage attendance by all media to this event.

Local youth excited for Celebrate Youth 2009: Dreams that Matter