Warren Coalition is accepting virtual auditions from Warren County middle school and high school students now through April 1st. This is not just for singers! Musicians, magicians, comedians, dancers, spoken word…whatever your talent, this is the time to shine and share it with the community! To learn more about this opportunity, visit our event page.
If you already know all you need to know and just want to submit your video, you may do so here!
FRONT ROYAL, VA— As part of its “We See You, Warren County” program, Warren Coalition is calling the community to come together for Warren County IRL (In Real Life), a Global Day of Unplugging event that will be held from sundown, March 1st to sundown, March 2nd. This is a day created by Unplug Collaborative (unplugcollaborative.org), set aside for people to disconnect from phones and re-connect with themselves, nature, and especially with friends, family, and community—in person!
Studies have shown that overuse of smart phones, especially in relation to social media, has a negative impact on our mental health and overall wellbeing. The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, has deemed loneliness and isolation an epidemic in the US, publishing an advisory around it in May of 2023. The reliance on smart phones and social media for communication have contributed to this sense of loneliness.
Warren County IRL participants are encouraged to unplug for a full 24 hours, though they can commit to smaller timeframes. Throughout that time, various businesses and organizations will be offering events, activities, programs, prizes, and/or discounts to help people engage in real life. Businesses and organizations that would like to be a part of this effort can contact Celeste Brooks at celeste@warrencoalition.org or 540-660-3367.
Individuals who participate in unplugging will be eligible for prizes. Signing up on the Warren Coalition website earns one entry into the prize drawings. Signing in at any one of the Warren County IRL events earns additional entries. Completing a survey after the event earns yet another entry. For more information, https://warrencoalition.org/wc-irl or check out the Warren Coalition Facebook page.
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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The Warren Coalition’s late-night cornhole tournament for high school students in Warren County has been rescheduled for Friday, November 10th. This is a single-division tournament with just one champion team at the end. The entry fee for a team is $10 at the door (cash only) or $5 for an individual who wants to be paired up with someone else.
Students must be accompanied by an adult (18+) who can provide transportation at the end of the evening. (A parent or guardian is not required.) The end time will depend on the number of participants.
There will be additional side games with prizes (no extra charge), as well as chips and drinks for sale, cash only.
Pre-registration is not required. For more information, email wc@warrencoalition.org!
Join us on Friday, November 10th at 10:00 pm at the 15th Street Gym (at the Health & Human Services Complex, 465 West 15th Street) for late-night fun!
Hosted by Warren Coalition and Warren County Parks & Recreation.
Warren Coalition will offer a free Course 1 Trauma-Informed Certification on November 1, 2023, from 9 am to 3:30 pm at Warren County Community Center.
We all interact with others on a daily basis, and sometimes we are left wondering why we snapped, or why the other person acted so rudely. Sometimes those interactions can leave us feeling lonely, insecure, or as if we aren’t good enough.
Trauma-Informed Certification provides you with a different perspective. There’s nothing “wrong” with you or the other person. The question to ask, both of yourselves and others, is “What happened to you?” This allows you to approach yourself and others from a place of understanding. This trauma-informed training will explore this and more. It will help you understand the science behind trauma, the lifelong impacts trauma can have on your mental and physical health, and how to approach others whose trauma history is unknown.
Attendees must attend the full session to receive a Trauma-Informed Certification. This course is offered free of charge to community members. The class will be taught in person by Christa Shifflett, Executive Director of the Warren Coalition. It will not be recorded.
For more information about Trauma-Informed Training and whether it can help you in your personal and/or professional life, email Christa Shifflett at christa@warrencoalition.org.
This training is presented by Warren Coalition and Northwestern Prevention Collaborative (NPC). NPC covers the Lord Fairfax Planning District, encompassing the City of Winchester and the counties of Clarke, Frederick, Page, Shenandoah and Warren. The Collaborative is a partnership between Page Alliance for Community Action, Family Youth Initiative, Warren Coalition, Northern Shenandoah Substance Abuse Coalition and the Prevention Department of Northwestern Community Services Board.
Warren Coalition is a nonprofit agency established in 1994 to help fill the gaps in health care and substance misuse 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.
Local Food Pantries Running Low; Food Drive Set for Oct 14-26
At a recent Adult Needs Committee meeting hosted by the Warren Coalition, several members reported that local food pantries are running low on supplies, and the number of people seeking food assistance is increasing.
To help local food pantries restock their shelves, the Committee decided to host a short-notice food drive, kicking it off at the Festival of Leaves on October 14th and ending at the Jack O’Lantern Jubilee on October 26th.
Donations of nonperishable foods are welcome. This includes canned meat, fish, vegetables, and fruit. Meat is typically the item most needed and the least donated. Pop-tops or pouches are ideal, as some recipients may not have can openers. Donations may also include cereal, oatmeal, powdered milk, rice, instant potatoes, pasta, and canned soups and stews.
Throughout the drive, collection boxes will be available at the following locations:
• Front Royal Town Hall, 102 E Main St
• Front Royal Visitors Center, 414 E Main St
• Warren County Community Center, 538 Villa Ave
• Social Services Office, 465 W. 15th St (outside near drop box)
• Samuels Public Library, 330 E Criser Rd
• Warren County Government Center, 220 N Commerce Ave
There will also be collection boxes at the Festival of Leaves in downtown Front Royal, October 14th, 10 am to 6 pm at the Visitor’s Center Tent, and the Jack O’Lantern Jubilee at the Health and Human Services Complex football field (465 W 15th Street) on October 26th from 6 pm to 8 pm. Randolph-Macon Academy Middle School Interact Club will also be collecting food.
In addition, you may bring food donations directly to several of the food pantries. Call ahead to ensure they will be open when you arrive and are available to receive donations:
• C-CAP, 400 Kendrick Lane, Suite B; 540-636-2448
• The Embassy Deliverance and Worship Center, 413 South St, Suite G&H (Friday nights); 540-636-9595
• Helping Hands (Warren Charge UMC), donations by appointment only; 540-683-9080
• Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry, Catholic Charities, 613 N Royal Ave; 540-252-4320
• Salvation Army, 357 Cloud St; 540-635-4020
• Warren County Department of Social Services, 465 W 15th St; 540-635-3430
Other food pantries may also be accepting donations. Only those that agreed to participate in this food drive are listed here; we will add others as they join in.
Even if the pantry you typically support is not on this list, they may still need your help! Please check in with them.