Quintown Prevention Partnership
Honors Hubbard and Tate
By Martha Slater

At its annual meeting in Rochester Thursday evening, Jan. 25, the Quintown Prevention Partnership (QPP) honored Java Hubbard of Rochester and Kristi Tate of Granville for their commitment to area youth.

In her remarks prefacing the award presentation, Dr. Valerie Levitan praised Hubbard for "her many talents, good humor, and longstanding devotion to the children of Rochester School." Hubbard, who has worked at the school for almost four decades, first came there to teach English in 1967, then left to earn her masters degree in guidance. She returned to the school in 1970, and has remained there ever since.

QPP President Nancy Manning praised Tate’s "energy and boundless enthusiasm" and chronicled her work as an advisor with the Vt. Teen Leadership Safety Program (VTLSP). In 2002, Tate was named the state’s VTLSP Advisor of the Year. She is also an advisor for the national SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) organization and volunteers with the White River Valley Players.

Manning introduced Joe Schenkman of Rochester as the organization’s new coordinator and announced that QPP had moved into a new office space on the second floor at 42 Main St. A second staff person, Catherine Lawlor, will begin work February 4 as QPP’s assessor/evaluator.

Schenkman said he was interested in getting feedback from the community and urged folks to call him at 767-3630.

Officers elected for 2008 were Nancy Manning, president; Mark Belisle, vice-president; Dr. Valerie Levitan, secretary; and Katy Landwehr, treasurer. The other members of the board of directors are Toni Richardson, Kristi Tate, Carolyn Cruikshank, and Dane Cooley.

Guest speaker Sarah Munro, shared information about the effects of binge drinking and led a discussion on that topic. Munro works as a substance abuse prevention consultant, based at the Barre district office for the Vt. Dept. of Health.

The meeting also included a review of QPP’s accomplishments during 2007.

During February and March, the organization received a grant from the Mascoma Savings Bank and held "message raffles" at RHS basketball games. In April and May, QPP sponsored a performance by the Wildfire dance troupe, supported SafeArt workshops, amended its bylaws, and gave recognition to mentors and seniors at RHS Senior Project Night.

QPP officially became a non-profit corporation over the summer, and during the fall, had a booth at the Harvest Fair in Rochester, where the VTLSP "ESCAPE" group did face painting, and promoted National Family Dinner Day. The year ended on a high note, when QPP received the good news that it had been awarded a $68,000 Strategic Prevention Framework grant from the Vt. Dept. of Health.

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