In the news
Hear about what’s going on at CARES and how you can get involved.
Dubois County cares welcomes three new board members, five new subcommittee members
CARES is welcoming three new members to its Board of Directors and five new members to its subcommittees, bringing additional experience, community connections and fresh perspectives to the organization’s youth-focused substance use prevention efforts.
“CARES is excited to welcome these new board and subcommittee members and grateful for the experience, passion and perspectives they bring to our organization,” said Board Chair Megan Durlauf. “Their commitment to our youth and our community will strengthen the work we’re doing to prevent substance use, support healthy choices and build a stronger, healthier Dubois County. We’re thrilled to have them join us and look forward to all we can accomplish together.”
Jami Marcum, Paige Mundy and Samantha Striegel have joined the Board of Directors.
New Board Members
New Subcommittee Members
New subcommittee members are Angie Sanchez-Hostetter, who will serve on the Communications and Marketing subcommittee; Keregyn Masterson, who will serve on the Board Governance subcommittee; and Melissa Lueken, Jessica Poole and Tina Rue, who will serve on the Programming subcommittee.
Sanchez-Hostetter is director of the Dubois County Chamber of Commerce and a former small-business owner. Her experience spans nonprofit programming, grant support, volunteer management, financial oversight and organizational leadership.
Lueken is a social worker for DaVita Dialysis and a therapist for Kairos Counseling. She has prior experience working for the Department of Children’s Services and in behavioral health in a hospital setting.
Masterson is a Dubois County juvenile probation officer, giving her an up-close look at the challenges facing youth and families. She has seen firsthand the importance of early intervention, positive relationships, mental health support, evidence-based practices and strong community connections.
Poole is the human resources manager for Williams Brothers Health Care Pharmacy. Her interest in CARES stems from a desire to grow community awareness and education about prevention and to model for her children the importance of positive involvement in their community.
Rue is a Dubois County resident and teaches social studies at Shoals High School, where she also serves as the SADD club sponsor. She is committed to serving youth inside and outside the schools and in the community where she lives.
More information about joining the board and about CARES is available by visiting DuboisCountyCARES.org.
###
CARES is a youth-focused substance use prevention organization committed to reducing substance use through education, empowerment and community partnerships. Founded as a grassroots effort, CARES now operates as a countywide organization with active student clubs in all four Dubois County high schools and targeted resilience programming through Botvin LifeSkills and Prime for Life, in partnership with the Prosecutor’s Office.
The organization is guided by a 14-member volunteer board representing schools, healthcare, law enforcement, youth-serving organizations, business leaders and individuals with lived experience. Together, the board provides strategic direction and ensures CARES remains focused on its mission to support healthy choices and strengthen families across Dubois County.
Marcum is community development coordinator for Dubois Strong Economic Development Corp. and serves on the Boys & Girls Club of Dubois County Advisory Committee and the county’s Early Care and Education Coalition. She brings experience working with youth and strong community connections to the CARES board.
“I have developed an understanding of the importance of meeting youth where they are,” she said, “listening to their experiences and creating supportive environments where they can thrive.” She strives to be a positive voice in Dubois County, “one that helps reduce stigma, encourages open conversations and reminds people they are not alone.”
Mundy is executive director of Mentors for Youth of Dubois County and a therapist at Dove Recovery House for Women. She previously served as chairperson of CARES about a decade ago and is excited to return to the organization.
“I am passionate about the mission of CARES, and love the work that’s being done,” she said.
Striegel is a RISE Peer Recovery re-entry specialist and serves on the Dubois County Advocacy for Prevention and Recovery Council. Her professional role has given her experience collaborating with the criminal justice system, treatment providers, recovery organizations and community partners. She has developed relationships with organizations and individuals committed to prevention, recovery and community wellness.
She said, “I am passionate about creating a community where prevention is prioritized, recovery is supported and every person has the opportunity to live a healthy and fulfilling life.”
Signs Up! to return to county schools
Dubois County CARES is again conducting a Signs Up! campaign at county middle schools, junior highs and high schools in August.
This is a project CARES created last summer as a show of support for area students. Collaborating with school administrators, CARES staff and volunteer community members greet students at the various schools on select days during the first few weeks of the school year.
The visitors hold signs bearing messages such as “You’ve Got This!,” “Welcome Back!” and “You Matter!” Last year, school personnel including teachers, resource officers and custodians spontaneously joined in, yukking it up with the teens and tweens as they entered the school building.CARES would like to expand the initiative this year by inviting those who live on a bus route or near a school to display their own signs of support during the first days of classes. All county schools start Aug. 11.
CARES Executive Director Hilary Duncan explained that the initiative was started because for several consecutive years, Dubois County students have reported on the Indiana Youth Survey that they don’t feel noticed or appreciated by their community. Students in grades six through 12 throughout Indiana take that survey annually. It is largely about substance use, but a few of the questions relate to the students’ interactions with neighbors.
“We hope that activities like this one help students of all ages realize that their community does care about them,” Duncan said. “For a more personal approach, we urge residents to share encouraging words with their neighborhood youth, young people at church and the teen cashiers at the stores where they regularly shop. You know them, and your kindness can have such a big impact.”
Positive interactions such as these serve as protective factors for youth; the more protective factors adolescents have, the less likely they are to start experimenting with alcohol and drugs or engaging in other unhealthy behaviors.
If you would like to join CARES at one of the local schools, call program assistant Martha Rasche at 812-630-8992 for the schedule.
“If we get enough volunteers, we’d love to extend to the elementary and intermediate schools in the county,” Duncan said. “Coming together as a community to empower our youth is what makes Dubois County so great. One small act of kindness and one encouraging word could make all the difference in the lives of our youth. Signs Up! is one way our community can show our young people that they matter, that we see and support them.”
Dubois County CARES works to support adolescents in remaining alcohol- and drug-free. It encompasses a group of adult supporters as well as CARES clubs at the county high schools. For more information, visit DuboisCountyCARES.org or call 812-827-8464.