Tune-In to Life
March 31 - April 11, 2008

Tune-In to Life goes on — 21 years now! Held this year from March 31 - April 11, 2008, it is a week plus of programs and events to promote healthy drug-free activities, both fun and educational, for all ages. We invite you to participate in one or more of the planned events. For more information, call The Bridge at 521-8035.

Community of Concern Parent Event -- Hall and Conard High Schools’ Community of Concern (CoC) invites you to a program, "It’s Saturday night — What Are Teens Really Doing in West Hartford?" on Tuesday, April 1, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM, in the Conard High cafeteria. The speakers will be Officer Joe Verrengia and Tim Hollister. Joe will discuss teen parties, drinking, drugs, the graduated driving rules, and how West Hartford enforces the laws. Tim will discuss his experience as a member of the Governor’s Task Force on Teen Driving and what the possible impact on teen drivers might be. Free and open to the public. For information, call Conard CoC at 231-5000, ext. 4001.

“A Trip Down Memory Lane” Intergenerational Event -- Piano player Jeff Weiselberg (of Nordstrom’s fame) will entertain senior citizens with nostalgic tunes on Thursday, April 3, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM, St. James’s Episcopal Church auditorium, 1018 Farmington Avenue. Come sing-along/dance-along. Refreshments from Panera Bread. Free event, but must get tickets at: W.H. Senior Center (561-7583), 15 Starkel Road; Elmwood Senior Center (561-8180), 1106 New Britain Avenue; and The Bridge (521.8035), 1022 Farmington Avenue. Please do not call St. James’s for tickets.

Family Dance Party -- Family Dance Party for pre-school children and families, Friday, April 4, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM, at the Center Library. Entertainment by Dale Griffith of Into the Groove. Refreshments served. Sponsored by the West Hartford Public Library Children's Division. FREE tickets available at the Center Library starting Monday, March 17. Attendance limited.

Family Fun Swim -- A morning session of swimming and family fun with Colleen Murphy, therapist and swimming instructor. For parents/guardians and children ages 1-10. Saturday, April 5, 11:00 AM - 12:00 noon, American School for the Deaf pool, 139 North Main Street, West Hartford. FREE, but sign-up required. Call The Bridge at 521-8035.

Sports Night at The Grounds -- ESPN personalities scheduled to appear on Saturday, April 5, 7:30 PM - 11:00 PM, in former Barnes and Noble, Bishops Corner. Music, sports games, miniature golf, game tables, Rockband, karaoke, free sports raffle (must be present to win). Drug/alcohol free event exclusively for West Hartford high school students with ID or West Hartford proof of residency. The Grounds, Inc. is a non-profit organization formed to provide West Hartford high school students with a place to chill. E-mail: info@westhartfordgrounds.

Tune-In to Your Kids -- Learn the communication skills that help parents & their kids build better relationships.
Based on the N.Y. Times bestseller, How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk, by Faber & Mazlish, Monday, March 31, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM, The Bridge, 1022 Farmington Avenue, W.H. Fee: $10/parent. Facilitated by therapist Jackie Newhouse, MSW. To register, call 521-8035. Childcare provided, if requested.

A Prescription to Avoid Disaster – This is a program for middle school parent.   One in ten youth will fall prey to substance abuse and dependence. The other nine will avoid this developmentally disastrous trauma primarily because of their relationship with their parent(s). Join John Callas, MSW and Tom Szigethy, MA, adolescent substance abuse experts who launched From the Frontlines, a consulting and training group specializing in adolescent substance abuse, on Tuesday, April 8, 7:00 PM, King Philip Middle School Commons. In this 90-minute multi-media interactive workshop, parents will be introduced to the current adolescent drugs of abuse, current substance abuse jargon, adolescent risk factors and vulnerabilities, family protective/preventative factors and direct approaches that work. Sponsored by Bristow, King Philip, & Sedgwick Middle School PTOs.

Middle School Dance (Grades 6, 7, and 8) -- Tune-In to Life dance to be held on Friday, April 11, 7:00 PM -9:00 PM, Town Hall Auditorium. Tickets ($5) will be sold only in the Town Hall lobby on Monday, April 7 & Wednesday, April 9, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM. Permission slip signed by a parent is required to buy a ticket. For more information, call The Bridge at 521-8035.

Fifth Grade Poster Project -- Fifth grade students will design Tune-In to Life posters — a picture of something they love to do — an alternative to substance abuse. Posters displayed in many locations around town — Town Hall, local banks, businesses, libraries, etc. Participants receive a Tune-In to Life T-shirt. 5th grade parents receive a flyer on how to talk to their children about substance abuse.

W.H. Community Television -- The week's programs on WHC-TV will be devoted to the Tune-In to Life theme and youth and family issues. Programs for the month sponsored by Webster Bank.

Sponsors and Supporters
Exchange Club of West Hartford, The Fitness Clinic, Panera Bread, Professional Professions, Webster Bank, West Hartford Firefighters Association, West Hartford Human and Leisure Services, West Hartford Police Officers’ Association