Photo Courtesy of Clay Counts Coalition

Topics discussed during the Clay Counts Coalition’s monthly meeting on August 13^th included: KCTC local survey data, fifth quarter events, Gather for Good Match Day, Love and Logic class, and more.

Matt Weller, Coalition Communications Coordinator, and Lisa Last, USD 379 School, Family & Community Connections Counselor, presented a PowerPoint on the KCTC Survey results for Clay County. The survey is taken by 6^th, 8^th, 10^th, and 12th-grade students annually, asking about substance use and mental health issues.  While substance use has been trending down for years, mental health issues and bullying have risen to high levels among USD 379 students and throughout the state. Weller and Last spoke about how the Coalition and USD 379 are collaborating to tackle these rising trends.

The Coalition will host a Courageous Conversation event on Tuesday, September 2^nd, titled: ‘Strong Feeling About Being Alive.’ The event is free to the public and will be held at the Rex Theatre, starting at 6:30 p.m. The evening’s special guest speaker will be Mental Health Comedian Taylor Johnson. An ice cream social will follow the show.

Clay Counts will have a table at the Clay County Museum during this year’s Gather for Good Match Day.

Half of the 20 slots for the upcoming ‘Parenting with Love & Logic’ class are filled. This class is completely free for parents and will run each Thursday through September. The class will be taught by certified Love & Logic instructor Kayla Chaffee.

The Clay County Health Department is planning a Health Fair at the Clay County Event Center on Saturday, October 25^th. They are currently looking for vendors for the Fair. Contact Allie Fitzgerald at the Health Department if you are interested in being a vendor.

Nikki Burwell, CCHD, said a lot of vegetables have been harvested and distributed from the Community Garden. She also stated that August is Breastfeeding Awareness Month. Clay County is very close to becoming a Breastfeeding Friendly Community. Businesses are encouraged to visit the Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition’s website to take the pledge in supporting breastfeeding.

YLink is gearing up for its first CCCHS Fifth Quarter Event, set for Friday, September 19^th, after the first home football game. YLink is also happy to report that they are hosting a State Convention in Manhattan on November 4^th. If you’d like to help volunteer at the Convention, contact Lori Martin.

Sofia Gallup and Allie Fitzgerald updated the Coalition on the ‘Girls on the Run’ program. They are currently looking for additional coaches to help out. Contact Gallup if you’re interested in coaching.

The meeting ended with motions to advertise at home sporting events and to donate to have the Clay Counts Coalition logo on the new Clay Center 150^th Anniversary T-shirts, both passed unanimously.

The next Coalition meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 10^th, at the Stuart Administrative Center.