Newly formed Allamakee Prevention Advisory group tackles difficult topics; Public invited to next scheduled meeting April 14 in Lansing
Allamakee Prevention Advisory group to meet in Lansing April 14 ... The Allamakee Prevention Advisory group was formed in late 2021 and meets monthly to address topics of substance misuse, teen pregnancy, problem gambling and more (see article below). Pictured above are group members: Left to right - Front row: Jessica Rupp, Jenny Rose, Stefanie Maas, Karli Schmelzer; Back row: Colinne McCann, Ashley Havenstrite, Jon Vagts, Bethany. The group is next scheduled to meet Thursday, April 14 at nutMeg’s Bakery and Cafe in Lansing, and the public is invited to participate. Submitted photo.
Rising concerns over substance misuse, problem gambling, teen pregnancy and more led a group of concerned citizens and professionals to start meeting to address these difficult topics. Allamakee Prevention Advisory, formed in late 2021, has a mission to “advocate, educate and provide awareness to positively impact the health and wellness of Allamakee County.” The group provides valuable feedback on the county culture, trends and concerns while making recommendations on evidence-based practices and strategies to implement across the Allamakee County community.
Allamakee Prevention Advisory is an opportunity to collaborate across agencies and to highlight available services and work being done. At a recent Allamakee Prevention Advisory meeting, Postville Police Chief Matt Ellis mentioned that the community could use more education about human trafficking. Upon hearing this, Bethany, a member of Allamakee Prevention Advisory and a Dating Violence Advocate at the Domestic Abuse Resource Center, took up the charge and began planning a lunch n’ learn about human trafficking for May 2022. The official date, location and time for that session will be announced in the near future.
Those living or working in Allamakee County are welcome and encouraged to attend meetings. The perspectives of parents, business owners, faith leaders, youth-serving organizations, other nonprofit leaders, individuals in recovery, and more are needed for this work to be successful.
Allamakee Prevention Advisory meets monthly for one hour on the second Thursday of each month from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The location of the meeting rotates between Lansing, Waukon and Postville. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 14 at nutMeg’s Bakery and Cafe in Lansing. All are welcome to attend. Visit allamakeeprevention.com or contact Jessica Rupp at 563-387-1720 or jrupp@helpingservices.org for information.
