Author: Celeste Brooks

  • Now Accepting Nominations for Larry M. Funk Memorial Award

    Now Accepting Nominations for Larry M. Funk Memorial Award

    Warren Coalition is now accepting nominations for the 2026 Larry M. Funk Memorial Award for Outstanding Service to Children. This award, established by the Warren Coalition in 2022, recognizes an individual who has made an exceptionally positive impact on the children of Warren County through dedicated, selfless service.  

    The award is open to anyone who serves children in any way. However, if serving children is their professional occupation, the nominator will need to demonstrate the ways in which they go above and beyond their normal job requirements.

    Nomination Process

    Nominators are asked to explain the contributions made to the children and youth of Warren County, cite specific examples, and list five outstanding qualities of the nominee. The selection of the award recipient is based solely on the nomination provided, not on outside information that the selection committees may have. The nomination is also used for the award write-up and subsequent media releases.

    Nominate someone for the larry m. Funk memorial award

    Nominations can be made online at https://bit.ly/FunkAward2026. (Note that the link is case-sensitive.) Nominations are due June 15, 2026. After the deadline, a panel of Warren Coalition staff and members will review the nomination packages, and select three to five packages to forward to the Funk family, who will make the final decision of who this year’s recipient will be. The selected person will be presented with a plaque and $500 cash at the Warren Coalition’s Annual Membership Luncheon in late July.

    People who have been nominated before may be submitted again. However, past honorees are ineligible for five years following receipt of the award. Past recipients include Roger Smelzer (2022), Laura Nelson-Haas (2023), Michael S. Williams (2024), and Harmony Hike (2025). Questions may be sent to Celeste Brooks at celeste@warrencoalition.org.

    About Larry

    Larry M. Funk was a member of Warren Coalition for more than 20 years, serving in a number of positions to include Vice President and President during that time.  The Warren County Sheriff Department employed Larry for over 28 years, and 27 of those were as the D.A.R.E. instructor and Community Policing representative.  He received many awards and recognitions from community organizations such as Kiwanis, Elks Lodge, Moose Lodge, Warren County Sheriff Department, Warren County Board of Supervisors, and American Legion Post 53, just to name a few.

    Larry’s many activities included presentations at events and distribution of educational materials for the youth of Warren County. This included many bike rodeos; Warren County Fair booths; Warren Memorial Hospital annual health fair; drug awareness displays; car shows; and car seat safety checks. He coordinated and organized the annual D.A.R.E. Day, which was the culmination of a year of planning for the fifth graders of Warren County Public Schools as part of the D.A.R.E education during the school year.

    At his church, Larry served as an elder, assistant Sunday school superintendent, and a youth Sunday school teacher. His family recalled that he would practice his presentations for hours until he got them just the way he wanted.  He took great pride working with the children of the community.  Students and former students would frequently greet him with hugs whenever they saw him. Larry’s impact was great and long-lasting.

    Larry was married for 38 years; the proud father of two sons; and grandfather of five grandchildren. He loved spending time with them and especially teaching them. 

    submit a nomination

    Warren Coalition is a nonprofit agency established in 1994 to help fill the gaps in health care and substance abuse awareness to the community. The Coalition began under the guidance of Warren Memorial Hospital as an outreach project, but it has since grown and was incorporated in 2001.  The office is currently located in the Warren County Community Center.  Their mission is to make Warren County a safe, healthy, and drug-free community through many programs and in collaboration with 15+ member agencies.

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  • It’s Feud Time! A Game for Family and Friends

    It’s Feud Time! A Game for Family and Friends

    FRONT ROYAL, VA—Warren Coalition and Samuels Public Library are teaming up to host “It’s Feud Time!”, an evening of fun styled after the popular game show Family Feud. Teams of two to five people consisting of family and/or friends will compete against each other for the top prize: a $50 gift card for each person on the team (up to five people, $250 maximum per team). A dinner of lasagna, salad, dessert, and drinks will be served at no cost to attendees.

    Some questions will center around popular topics, while others will relate to drugs and alcohol, mental health, smart phone usage, and resilience. Each team will write out their best guesses to the questions, so everyone has a chance to win!

    This event is intended for middle school and high school students in Warren County, and their families and friends. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required. Complete the registration form at https://bit.ly/feudtime.

    Warren Coalition is a nonprofit agency established in 1994 to help fill the gaps in health care and substance abuse awareness to the community. The Coalition began under the guidance of Warren Memorial Hospital as an outreach project, but it has since grown and was incorporated in 2001.  The office is currently located in the Warren County Community Center.  Their mission is to make Warren County a safe, healthy, and drug free community through many programs and in collaboration with 15+ member agencies.

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  • Warren County Unplugs for Mental Health

    To help raise awareness of the dangers of excessive social media use, Warren Coalition created “Warren County Unplugged,” a community effort to encourage individuals of all ages to get off of their phones (or at least social media) for a day (or so). This 24-hour event is held in conjunction with the Global Day of Unplugging the first weekend in March, which was March 6-7 this year. During Warren County Unplugged, people of all ages are encouraged to sign up to unplug and were entered into a prize drawing for doing so. The first year, a total of 55 people signed up; the following year, that number was 108. This year, 132 signed up.

    “We coordinate events all over the County, and the point of those events is to make it easier for folks stay off of their phones,” said organizer Celeste Brooks, Deputy Director of the Warren Coalition. “Our ultimate goal is to raise awareness about how social media impacts mental health, especially for our youth, and to get people to make a plan to stay off of their phones, or at least off of social media, for a little while.”

    Since 2012, smartphone use by teens has increased, and anxiety, depression, and loneliness have skyrocketed. Social media companies deliberately designed their algorithms to be addictive, which could potentially prime the teen brain for substance use disorders (addiction) later in life. In fact, studies have already shown that teens who regularly use social media are more likely to buy cigarettes, drink alcohol, and/or use marijuana.

    As part of this year’s Warren County Unplugged activities, children of all grade levels (and parents as well) enjoyed a variety of activities at Friday night’s Youth Unplugged Party, hosted by the Coalition, Warren County Parks & Recreation, Warren County Young Life, and Scouting America. Those activities included tossing beach balls into “granny pants” worn by Dave Goss and Ed Daley, The Quiet Game, arts and crafts, archery, bingo, 9-square in the air, Volley Bound, basketball, and an inflatable gaga pit.

    “Warren Coalition hosted the elementary school student activities, and it was heart-warming to see the families enjoying time together without a phone in sight,” said Brooks.

    Additional Friday evening activities included karaoke hosted by Reaching Out Now at Santmyers Student Union, a Scottish Cèilidh at Samuels Public Library, and a Hyper Party at the Royal Family Bowling Center. Brooks estimated that there were well over 350 people at the various events held on Friday evening.

    Saturday brought a push of attention to local retail stores and the downtown area, with kid-friendly stores like Play Favorites and Main Street Geek offering discounts and free activities. Habitat for Humanity of Warren County hosted Backyard Games at the Gazebo with an inflatable obstacle course and entertainment by the talented students from the School of Rock in Haymarket. On Cue Sports Bar hosted a casino-style fundraiser, and Ruby Yoga offered a discount on several classes throughout the day.

    Altogether, 37 businesses and organizations came together to provide some sort of phone-free experience for the Warren County community. An additional 15 restaurants allowed the Coalition to place “table tents” of information on their tables in the weeks leading up to the event, helping to promote awareness of the risks of excessive social media use and awareness of Warren County Unplugged.

    “We are deeply thankful that so many organizations recognize the importance of this event and the issue it addresses,” said Brooks. “This day helps us all become a little more aware of what the concerns are, for both ourselves and our kids.”

    Those who signed up online are eligible for an upcoming prize drawing. A survey has been sent out to them, and those who complete it will receive an extra two entries into the drawing, which will be held on March 20th.

    Warren Coalition is a nonprofit agency established in 1994 to help fill the gaps in health care and substance abuse awareness to the community. The Coalition began under the guidance of Warren Memorial Hospital as an outreach project, but it has since grown and was incorporated in 2001.  The office is currently located in the Warren County Community Center.  Their mission is to make Warren County a safe, healthy, and drug free community through many programs and in collaboration with 15+ member agencies.

  • Edward Jones 5K Race for Education March 28th

    Edward Jones 5K Race for Education March 28th

    Annual Run Supports Local High School Athletes and Students

    Runners, walkers, and strollers (both the ambling kind and the baby-carrying kind) are invited to a heart-healthy event that raises funds for our local high school students! Edward Jones and Warren Coalition are teaming up to host the Edward Jones 5K Race for Education, which benefits the local high school cross country teams and students who need financial assistance for advanced classes.

    This year’s race will be held Saturday, March 28th at Warren County Middle School, with registration beginning at 8 am and the race going off at 9 am. The course for this rain or shine event follows the length of Leach Run Parkway and back. Runners and walkers of all levels are encouraged to participate. Baby strollers and leashed dogs are also welcome.

    Half of what is raised in this annual fundraiser supports the Warren County High School and Skyline High School cross country teams. The other half provides financial assistance for local high school students to help cover costs associated with Advanced Placement and dual-enrolled courses, such as lab fees and books.

    Learn more on the Facebook page at facebook.com/EdwardJones5k, or visit https://bit.ly/ej5k2026 to pre-register for the race. Early registration is currently $25 per adult participant and $20 for students; children four and under are free. The early bird registration prices are good through March 12th, then registration fees will increase by $5. Same-day registrations will be accepted.

    About Edward Jones
    Edward Jones is a leading North American financial services firm in the U.S. and through its affiliate in Canada. The firm’s more than 20,000 financial advisors throughout North America serve more than 9 million clients with a total of $2.2 trillion in client assets under care as of December 31, 2024. Edward Jones’ purpose is to partner for positive impact to improve the lives of its clients and colleagues, and together, better our communities and society. Through the dedication of the firm’s approximately 54,000 associates and our branch presence in 68% of U.S. counties and most Canadian provinces and territories, the firm is committed to helping more people achieve financially what is most important to them. The Edward Jones website is at www.edwardjones.com, and its recruiting website is www.careers.edwardjones.com. Member SIPC.

    About Warren Coalition
    Warren Coalition is a nonprofit agency established in 1994 to help fill the gaps in health care and substance abuse awareness to the community. The Coalition began under the guidance of Warren Memorial Hospital as an outreach project, but it has since grown and was incorporated in 2001.  The office is currently located in the Warren County Community Center.  Their mission is to make Warren County a safe, healthy, and drug free community through many programs and in collaboration with 15+ member agencies.

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  • Calling All Video Producers Ages 11-14!

    Calling All Video Producers Ages 11-14!

    Warren County youth ages 11-14 are invited to submit a short video for the Warren Coalition’s Health Video Contest, running now through March 27th! The challenge is to create a 15-second or 30-second video promoting one of the following four healthy habits:

    • Getting Quality Sleep
    • Eating Healthy
    • Exercising Regularly
    • Drinking Water

    Students can submit their original video to warrencoalition.org/health-video-contest between now and March 27th. Winners from EACH category will receive a $125 gift card! Students may submit one video for each category. All Warren County residents ages 11-14 are eligible for this competition, whether they are homeschooled or enrolled in public or private school.

    “If I could give one tip to the students,” said Warren Coalition Deputy Director Celeste Brooks, “it would be to make sure you have good quality audio. Each year, the Coalition receives really creative submissions that lose because we can’t understand all of what is being said. Avoid recording at times and places when the wind is strong or there is a lot of background noise.”

    Music should be omitted from the video unless it is royalty-free music. By submitting a video, a contestant gives Warren Coalition permission to use the video on their website and social media, and in commercials (including, but not limited to, social media, OTT, online or broadcast) to help promote healthy choices among youth.

    This event is sponsored by the Warren Coalition, made possible by Project WAHOO (Working to Achieve Healthy Opportunities and Outcomes), funded by Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth. For questions or more information, contact Celeste Brooks at celeste@warrencoalition.org