Contact: County Executive
Ralph J. Eannace, Jr.

798-5800

BOONVILLE – Oneida County Executive Ralph J. Eannace, Jr., today announced that Oneida County’s "Communities That Care" project will kick off its outreach effort at the Boonville Fair.

The historic fair, which runs from Monday July 23, through Sunday July 29, was selected for the beginning of the effort because it draws residents from across the county, Eannace said.

"Our neighborhoods and communities and their needs are the driving forces behind ‘Communities That Care,’" Eannace said. "Locally driven initiatives and the mobilization of community volunteers to strengthen families and neighborhoods in ways that they know best are the heart of our effort. There is no better place to take a cross-section of the needs of our communities and families than the Boonville Fair," he said.

A special "Communities That Care" display will be featured in the grandstand display area. Residents can learn more about "Communities That Care," sign up to become involved or ask for assistance with neighborhood or community concerns.

Oneida County "Communities That Care" has brought together more than 100 organizations to help communities and neighborhoods address their issues of concern. "Communities That Care" connects resources in the region with citizens and groups trying to make a difference. Resources include advice, information on "best practices," technical assistance including connections to a growing number of CTC partners across the nation and other services, Eannace said.

"What sets this apart from other efforts is the degree of partnerships we have within ‘Communities That Care,’" he said. "We have people, agencies, schools, faith-based organizations and governments all working together, and we are working based upon research so that our pro-active efforts can effectively focus on prevention."

Eannace said the Boonville Fair outreach would be the first of other outreach efforts that will be taking place across Oneida County throughout the fall and winter. Dates, times and places will be announced at a later date.

"Communities That Care" has six Areas of Focus:

• Empowering Youth for Success
• Strengthening Neighborhoods
• Strengthening Families
• Job Development and Economic Growth
• School-Community Partnerships
• Human Services System Design

County residents who want to share their issues of concern with "Communities That Care" can also use the county’s Web site, www.oneidacounty.org to share their concerns and e-mail them to the "Communities That Care" effort.

"This project is a huge partnership. To make it work, we need as many partners as possible," Eannace said. "We hope that area residents who bring us their issues of concern will also want to join ‘Communities That Care’ to help be a part of the solution."

Eannace said that Oneida County residents who want to help "Communities That Care" should contact Acting CTC Coordinator Judith Owens-Manley, Ph.D., MSW, at Hamilton College, 859-4486.