What's in store this year for CACTC columns

Happy New Year and welcome to the first Connecting Cortland Communities column for 2009. I am the current chairperson of PR.Com, the publicity work group of the Cortland Area Communities that Care Coalition. In that capacity, I am delighted to welcome you to the beginning of the column's third full year.

The Coalition had a very busy 2008, Many of its activities were highlighted in articles in Connecting Cortland Communities. Some 38 different columns appeared in 2007. The writers covered a wide variety of topics. Some gave tips for parents and families about ways to deal with issues faced by their children. Abuse of alcohol, tobacco, prescription drugs, and teen sexuality were discussed. Others described opportunities available to County youth. How to get a summer job, participate in summer activities like sports and trips, attend and plan interesting conferences, youth leadership were some of the topics addressed.

Some authors celebrated the many good things County young people do in and for our communities. Often we read about County organizations that provide an array of services to residents. We read about local housing issues and programs developed to address them, The programs offered by CAPCO, the YWCA, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Career Works, MICAH, and SUNY Cortland Majority Rules were described in detail. Sometimes the Coalition's own programs were highlighted. Remember Planting the County Red with tulips to support our youth to make healthy decisions? Remember the Coalition's highly successful second Youth Conference held last May? If you happened to miss any of those columns, feel free to go online to www.cortlandareactc.org which is the address of the Coalition's website. Click first on Current Events, then on News. There you will see each of the articles that appeared in the Cortland Standard during 2008. You can read any and all again by clicking on those that interest you.

What are you likely to see in 2009? In January there will be a column from Nancy Hatch describing the work of the Family Reading Partnership. Lindy Glennon of CAPCO will review her agency's efforts to help residents prepare tax returns and benefit from the programs of the Family Resource Centers. Joan Stivers will be providing information about local alcohol and substance abuse issues. For the remainder of 2009, you will be treated to a number of discussions on a wide variety of topics. Should you have a specific concern you want to have addressed, feel free to contact CACTC Project Coordinator Judie Murphy. She can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Catholic Charities of Cortland County, 33 Central Avenue, Cortland,NY 13045. Her phone number is 756-5992. Every effort will be made to respond to all suitable requests.

Jo Ann Wickman is Chair of CACTC PR.Com, the publicity workgroup of the Coalition.