(Chelsea Update would like to thank Bob Milbrodt for the information in this story.)
Last Monday, the Chelsea Kiwanis Club heard from our own club member Kate Yocum SRSLY Chelsea Coalition Director and Lexi Cummer, student leader with SRSLY.
Kate noted that SRSLY began in 2008 to address the problem of substance abuse in the community of Chelsea, especially its young people. Both student and adult volunteers met together to implement strategies designed to educate students about the dangers of drugs and encourage them to stay clear of them.
Their efforts proved successful and SRSLY was adopted in Dexter, Stockbridge, and Manchester. After the pandemic, an additional focus, mental health, became part of SRSLY’S work. Included in the restructuring, adults and students now meet separately.
Students now decide how to best achieve their goals. They know their peers want to be heard without judgment, and without fear of asking for help. Students are now asking how does adult drinking and their use of other substances affect children.
Lexi told us about the importance of wearing SRSLY branded clothing. It helps to keep SRSLY’S mission in their classmate’s minds, and that the group is always there for them.
Kate is pleased that 40 new students have joined SRSLY and will take part in eight new initiatives. SRSLY will award 2 $500 scholarships to deserving students.
A new initiative is called Just Wait. Sometimes adults reply to a kid’s experience by saying…”you have it easy now, just wait till you’re older and have pay for your own room and board, or car insurance, or lose sleep raising your kids”. This devalues their experiences and predicts a gloomy future.
Just Wait asks the community to send in positive responses like…”just wait until you graduate, or find a fulfilling career, or find new friends, or find your true love”.
SRSLY offers resources to deal with mental health and substance abuse issues in a clear step by step fashion. An effort to add SRSLY in Grass Lake is in the works. Check SRSLY Chelsea online for details.
SRSLY now relies fully on community funds as their initial grant has ended. Chelsea Kiwanis is pleased to support their efforts.
