Medford High School Students poured through the halls in their school colors, the sounds of excitement and band music filling the air.  As everyone filed into the gym for the pep rally before the big Thanksgiving game, the new Team Medford banner did not go unnoticed.  Team Medford: Join the Winning Team to Prevent Underage Drinking is a new project of the Medford Substance Abuse Task Force.  Over 1,000 bracelets and key chains were handed out to students, athletes, teachers, coaches and community figures in an effort to unite the community in fighting the battle to prevent underage drinking.

Members of the Medford Substance Abuse Task Force joined students in cheering as they connected with one another and were asked to join the winning team. Many of our young leaders are very pleased to be a part of the team and were happy to help distribute bracelets while getting their fellow peers to commit to our team: Team Medford. Everyone is a key player on Team Medford, and many stepped up today showing their pride for the community. “Everyone was in high spirits,” reported Penelope Bruce, the Underage Drinking Prevention Coordinator, “the positive energy was contagious and many of our youth wanted to jump on board.”

Team Medford is a collaborative effort in supporting our youth in which Team TADD (Teens Against Drinking and Drugs) played an enormous role. “It’s great that we finally have a positive mission that unites the city, while getting the word out about underage drinking and drug abuse issues right in our own community”, said Crystal Chandler, a Team TADD leader, and member of Medford’s Substance Abuse Task Force. This is a great start for Team Medford and a beginning that is headed in the right direction. Many more activities and local events will be organized to get more team players involved. For more information contact Penny Bruce at prbruce@medford.org or 781-393-2560

New trash and recycling bins like the ones pictured above will soon be arriving at the homes of Medford residents in preparation for the city’s new trash and recycling program, which begins November 1. According to a recorded phone message by the city, the bins will be distributed over the next three weeks. Each household will receive one 96 gallon recycling bin and one 64 gallon trash bin, with multi-family units each receiving a pair of bins and recycling bins coming with either blue or green lids depending upon the neighborhood and pick-up schedule, which is not changing.

For more information about the new program, the city has developed a program guide that will be distributed in the mail, or that can be downloaded by clicking here.

- InsideMedford.com

The Medford Board of Health is holding two flu clinics this fall.

On Wednesday, October 27 the Board of Health will be administering flu shots at the Medford Housing Authority, 121 Riverside Avenue, from 9:00AM-12:00PM. The clinic is for senior citizens.

On Wednesday, November 10 the flu clinic will take place at the Council Chambers at Medford City Hall, 85 George P. Hassett Drive, from 4:30PM-7:00PM.

The Board of Health is asking participants to bring their insurance information and to wear short sleeves.

All health insurance is accepted, including Medicare, Fallon Senior Plan, First Seniority, Tufts Health Plan Medicare Preferred, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Medicare HMO Blue, or Medicare PPO Blue, United Health Care, Secure Horizons, HNE Medicare.

Volunteers are needed for registration. Please call the Medford Board of Health office at (781) 393-2560.

- Information from Medford Board of Health Director Karen Rose

Members of Teens Against Drunk Driving who participated in a recent “shoulder taps” event in Medford. Back, left to right- Alton Palmer, Jermaine Henderson, and Michael Henderson. Front, left to right- Sherine Thelemaque, Jenn Mui, and Tia Elliot. Courtesy photo.

On Thursday, August 11 a group of local teens stood outside Medford Square liquor store Grapevine Travelers and asked forty-nine people to purchase alcohol for them.

According to Penelope Bruce, Underage Drinking Coordinator for Medford Health Matters and the Medford Board of Health, each of the forty-nine people turned the teens down.

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We did it again! Medford Health Matters in partnership with the Northeast Center for Healthy Communities/Greater Lawrence Family Health Center was successful in its application for continuation grant money for 2010-2011. We look forward to working with you to continue our efforts in making Medford a healthy and safe place for our youth and families.

DFC grants are provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the federal government.

For more information about how you can become involved, please contact Tiana Wilkinson, DFC Coordinator at twilkinson@glfhc.org.

MA Drivers License

By Alix Roy, Town Correspondent

A local ordinance requiring all purchasers of alcohol to be carded – regardless of age – took many residents by surprise, but advocates for preventing underage drinking say the rule has been received positively by many retailers and restauranteurs.

For full text article go to:

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/medford/2010/06/liquor_stores_restaurants_rece.html?s_campaign=8315

As you know, the Medford Family Network exists to provide family  support for families in all types of circumstances and situations. We  provide parenting education and family activities when you need them,  as well as concrete supports when you need them!

This is a “Shout Out” to those who may be in a position to help us  with a particular family.  The following is a list of items that this
family would greatly appreciate.  Those that attended the Shower of  Support on Sunday, May 15, 2010, need to be aware that those items  will immediately help this family as well as many others that we serve.

Mother –  Clothes Size 12, Shoe Size 9
Father –  Pants Size 34W x 30L, Shirts M/L, Shoes 8.5
Girl –    Clothes Size 2T, 3T; Shoes Size 4, 5
Household – New Queen Size Bedding
Family – Gift Cards to Kmart, Walmart, Target, Kohls, etc., any amount

Please call the Network at (781) 393-2106 for more information or to donate!

Sincerely,
Marie Cassidy, Family Specialist

With the nice weather on it’s way, many of us in Medford eagerly await spring cleaning. It’s a wonderful time of year because not only are sprouts and gardens popping up everywhere, but so are yard sales. This year many large “city-wide” yard sales are being organized. In a continued effort to be the green city that we know Medford is, let’s all do our part to keep any items that can either be recycled or reused out of the dumps.

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Click on image to enlarge.

Be a Parent Not a Pal Presentation April 12^th

By Penelope Bruce

On Monday April 12^th from 7pm-9pm, Medford Board of Health and Medford Health Matters Substance Abuse Task will be hosting a presentation for parents at the Caron Theater, Medford High School.

Be a parent not a pal is a presentation created by Richard P. Campbell and the law firm of Campbell Campbell Edwards & Conroy to educate students, parents, teachers and members of the community about the Social Host Law, and to illustrate the legal consequences of allowing those under the age of 21 to possess alcoholic beverages. The presentation will tell the stories of victims of the consequences of underage drinking as well as of the hosts who have been prosecuted under the Social Host Law. They show what happens when good kids make bad decisions and well-meaning parents who think that they are providing safe havens for their children and children’s friends painfully discover that these havens are not safe after all. They discuss the liability of social hosts when civil actions with millions of dollars at stake rapidly follow criminal prosecutions. They give new perspectives on the question, “Mom, Dad, can I have a party here at the house? Some of my friends will be drinking, but since I’ll collect all of the car keys, we’ll be safe, and everything will be all right.”

This program is for all parents with teens 6th to 12th grade but the program content is geared toward parents with teens in High School.

Admission is free and refreshments will be served, please RSVP at Medford Board of Health 781-393-2560 or at pbruce@medford.org

The Friends of the Medford Family Network Present…

VALENTINE’S WEEKEND ICE CREAM SOCIAL FUN’RAISER

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