What’s Happening

May’s Coalition Member of the Month is TSgt Carissa Siry, representing our Government Sector since 2016. TSgt Siry is a Civil Operations Specialist with the New York National Guard Counterdrug Task Force. She and her team work with coalitions on Long Island to address alcohol and substance use concerns. Specifically, they assist coalitions in identifying needs within the community and help address them by using the Strategic Prevention Framework. This framework is used by coalitions who have been awarded the Drug Free Communities Grant.

identifying strategies and building capacity

TSgt Siry has been with the Riverhead Community Coalition for three years and has participated in the Pulaski Street Program, as wall as the Annual Meet and Greet Event. She also conducts numerous community scans to identify risk and protective factors in the community.

TSgt Siry was nominated as Member of the Month by other coalition members. She has been instrumental in working with the coalition to identify effective strategies to prevent youth substance use through activities such as community mapping and environmental scans. In addition, TSgt Siry is an active member of our Meet and Greet Committee. Recently she worked with this committee to develop a new activity to help community members identify their sector and how each sector plays an important role in coalition work.

Riverhead Community Coalition Coordinator Kelly Miloski sat down with TSgt Siry to talk about her experience with the coalition.

Here are the highlights:

• Why did you get involved in the coalition?
  “I became a Civil Operations Specialist to work with coalitions because I enjoy serving local communities. I’ve always been drawn to help others and volunteering. I’ve volunteered in wound clinics and helped deliver school supplies to children in Africa, but there is something beautiful about giving back to the communities in my own backyard.”
• What is your favorite coalition activity?
  “My favorite coalition activity is the Pulaski Street School Program. I enjoy going into the classrooms and educating youth on the dangers of substance abuse and how they can deal with peer pressure and stress.”
• Name three words that best describe you.
  “Creative, positive and enthusiastic.”
• Besides coalition work, what else do you like to do?
  “In my free time I enjoy hiking, knitting, baking and spending time with family and friends.”

Interested in learning more about coalition or youth coalition membership?

Contact Kelly Miloski at (631) 727-3722 ext. 106 or Kelly.Miloski@RiverheadCAP.org.