Dear Editor:
This correspondence is submitted on behalf of the Summerland Child and Youth Committee, which is a community partnership comprised of residents from the following agencies and organizations” School District 67, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Child and Youth Mental Health, Interior Health Authority, Ministry of Children and Family Development, Okanagan Boys and Girls Club, Penticton and District Community Resources Society, Pathways Addictions Resource Centre, Summerland Asset Development Initiative, Summerland Municipal Recreation Department, ARC Programs, Penny Lane Bargain Outlet and the Summerland Clergy.
The Summerland CYC would like to lend support for the partnership with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police detachment in our community regarding an initiative known as Community Education Partnership Continuum.
CPEC is a framework for asset development and is intended to support healthy choices and drug prevention strategies for children and youth from Kindergarten through Grade 12.
The sum of these components is unique to each community and is based upon the needs and resources available.
The purpose is to encourage and assist children and youth to attain the highest achievements possible.
Within this initiative, individuals, groups or organizations from the community undertake a commitment to provide a component of asset development, healthy choices or drug prevention to a single grade within one local school during the year.
During the fall of 2010, representatives from the RCMP held a series of preliminary meetings with interested groups in Summerland regarding this initiative.
As a result of those meetings, a number of commitments have been made and presentations have already been undertaken with children and youth in Summerland schools or related settings.
At present, there is a need to extend this initiative to encompass a wider scope for the 2011-2012 school year.
Accordingly, we would encourage any interested individuals, groups or organizations to contact Sgt. Mona Kauffeld at the Summerland RCMP detachment to obtain further information.
We would invite the community to consider this worthy initiative on behalf of our children and youth.
Hal Roberts
Summerland Child and Youth Committee
Summerland