Friday, February 15, 2008 8:12 PM CST
Grant provided to help curb underage drinking
By DAVE FOPAY, Staff Writer
dfopay@jg-tc.com
MATTOON — A state grant announced Thursday will help with the production of a television program aimed at reducing underage drinking, making 2008 the second year in a row a locally produced show on the issue will air.
Grants from the Illinois Department of Human Services went to 50 communities and organizations, including I Sing the Body Electric, a Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center program involving area high school students to promote healthy lifestyle choices to that age group.
The announcement from the state department said the $500 grants were to help the communities and organizations conduct “town meetings” on the issue of underage drinking.
“We want to build on the results of the previous town hall meetings and be proactive in engaging youth and families as well as community members in prevention,” Illinois Human Services Secretary Carol L. Adams said in Thursday’s announcement
In the case of the local effort, it will mean a production in conjunction with WEIU-TV that will feature tips for parents, according to information from I Sing the Body Electric.
The program will air twice in April, and each time last year’s production will air the day before. The 2007 program, which also received grant funding, focused on talking about the matter before children start drinking.
The first broadcast of last year’s program, “Start Talking Before They Start Drinking,” will be on WEIU-TV at 6 p.m. on April 1, and the 2008 production, “Bring it Home: Parents, Start Talking,” will air at 6 p.m. on April 2. The same broadcast sequence and air times will be in place when the programs are on the station again April 17 and 18.
Both programs will also air on YOUR 13, a Web site channel from WEIU-TV in conjunction with Consolidated Communications that can be accessed at www.your13.com. That April 1 broadcast will begin with “Start Talking” at 7 a.m., followed by “Bring it Home” at 8 p.m.
Here are descriptions of each program, according to I Sing the Body Electric:
‘Bring It Home: Parents, Start Talking’
Parents are the biggest influence when teens make choices about using alcohol, and that influence starts when children are young. Families are encouraged to tune in to this Body Electric program featuring people in East Central Illinois who give positive parenting tips, energetic community youth programs and much more. Incentive tune in give-aways are also featured for children and their families.
‘Start Talking Before They Start Drinking’
I Sing the Body Electric and WEIU took cameras into the community to help communicate concerns and questions parents and kids have concerning alcohol use. A panel discussion includes Noelle Cope, advanced practice pediatric nurse from Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center; Brian Bower, city attorney for Charleston; Jim Kestner, College of Education and Professional Studies, Eastern Illinois University; and Nancy Phillips, prevention professional and addictions counselor with Central East Alcoholism and Drug Council.
Contact Dave Fopay at dfopay@jg-tc.com or 348-5733.
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Dohbaugh wrote on Feb 16, 2008 9:29 AM: