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First Book has launched a campaign to get children in need hooked on reading. Visit http://www.firstbook.org/whatbook to vote for the state to receive 50,000 new books for the children who need them most.

Search Institute's Center for Spiritual Development is conducting a world-wide survey on the spiritual development of youth between the ages of 12 and 25.  They're looking for youth in the United States who can participate in this survey, (along with youth from seven other countries).  All youth who complete the survey will be entered in a drawing for the chance to win either a $25.00 or $50.00 Target gift card. 

This new survey explores how young people think about and experience life.  It asks questions pertaining to how they find meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in their life, how they think about their place in their family, community, and the world.  They hope to include a wide range of young people in this survey, including those who do not consider themselves to be spiritual or religious. 

If you are a parent of one or more young people in this age group, Search Institute would be delighted to have them participate in this study.  Feel free to invite other parents you know to include their children.  And if you are a young adult, ages 18 to 25, we would be pleased to have you participate as well. 

To learn more about the survey and to volunteer your child/children (or yourself), please click on the link below: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s. aspx?sm= lGdyMwHBcwZjwfkEEUABfQ_3d_3d If you have any questions about the survey, please contact Angela Hackel at angelah@search-institute.org.

September 4, 2008—The semi-annual Region II Prevention and Health, Planning and Networking Meeting at Tabernacle of Praise in Culloden, WV, 9:30 a.m. —3:30 p.m.  This semi-annual meeting for a twelve county service area (Putman, Wayne, Cabell, Kanawha, Clay, Boone, Mason, Jackson, Roane, Mingo, Lincoln, and Logan Counties) is open to anyone with prevention and health interests and community collaboration.  The purpose of this meeting is to allow people with similar jobs in different counties, and well as those assigned to multiple counties - join together to network, gain knowledge and form partnerships. Lunch and a light breakfast will be provided, along with door prizes. Please remember to bring information for the resource table and any door prizes you might have.  Please let your CDS know if you are planning on attending so we can get a head count for lunch. (Lincoln, Logan & Mingo Counties: Kristi Adkins adkins417@marshall.edu, Boone, Clay & Kanawha Counties:  Lara Berry ldunlap@marshall.edu , Cabell, Putnam & Wayne Counties:  Bill O'Dell odell24@marshall.edu and Jackson, Mason & Roane Counties:  Alisha Smith smitham@marshall.edu).

September 15 & 17, 2008—Free mammography screening offered by Charleston Area Medical Center through a special grant from the Salvation Army's Marguerite Capehart trust fund, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Women's Comprehensive Breast Center at Women and Children's Hospital (behind the hospital, in the medical building).  To receive a free mammogram, you must meet the guidelines established by the American Cancer Society.  The guidelines can be viewed at www.regionalfrn.org/CurrentEvents.html Limited space is available (18 screenings per day).  To register (required), call 345-9051.

September 22, 2008 - Family Day – A Day to Eat Dinner with your Children.  Whether you’re cooking a gourmet meal or ordering food from your favorite take-out place, rest assured that what your kids really want at the dinner table is YOU!  Family meals are the perfect time to talk to your kids and to listen to what’s on their mind.  The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University launched Family Day – A Day to Eat Dinner with your Children in 2001 after more than a decade’s worth of its research consistently found that the more often kids eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use drugs.           Family Day is a national movement that encourages parents to frequently eat dinner with their kids and be involved in their children’s lives.  Family Day is celebrated nationwide on the fourth Monday in September, which is September 22 this year.  To learn how you can celebrate Family Day at your home, church, or community, log onto www.CASAFamilyDay.org.

October 13, 2008 - Meeting on developing a State Earned Income Tax Credit (SEITC), 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at John XXIII Center in Charleston.  Sponsored by the WV Center on Budget & Policy and the WV Alliance for Sustainable Families.  For more information and to register for the meeting contact renatepore@verizon.net or cyoung@te-associates.com The meeting will feature Jason Levitis, policy analyst and state tax expert from the Center on Budget & Policy Priorities.  The WV Center on Budget & Policy will release its research paper on a SEITC for WV.  The WV Alliance for Sustainable Families will discuss its work with the federal EITC and its campaign for a WV SEITC.

October 14, 2008 - Building Strong Marriages: Resources for and Lessons Learned from Working with Stepfamilies free online webinar, 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. (Eastern).  In partnership with the National Extension Relationship and Marriage Education Network (NERMEN) http://www.nermen.org, the CYFERnet Parent/Family Editorial Board presents this free online webinar focuses on what it takes to establish relationship and marriage enrichment as well as parent education programs that meet the unique needs of stepfamilies. Attend this 90-minute "Connect" training and learn about the latest research-based program resources and teaching strategies.  Register at: http://cyfernet.ces.ncsu.edu/mn/training/user.php?r=59  If you have any questions about the training event, please contact:

June Mead, CYFERnet Parent/Family Editor, jm62@cornell.edu

The Alzheimer's Association is holding Lunch and Learns on the following Wednesday dates at noon at their office at 1111 Lee Street East in Charleston.  These are primarily for family caregivers:

September 17         Legal and Financial Issues and Alzheimer's

October 15             Options for Care and How to Make Those Decisions

For more information contact the Alzheimer's Association at 1-800-491-2717 or www.alz.org/wv or email jessica.scalf@alz.org

For more information on events and opportunities, please log on to http://regionalfrn.org/CurrentEvents.html