Bethany Klemetsrud

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Bethany Klemetsrud

• Underage Drinking
• Task Force
• White Earth Reservation, MN

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Past and Current Prevention Efforts Our Culture
is Prevention

• White Earth Tribal Court
• 2001 started Peacemaking Circles in 2001 in an
  effort to reduce juvenile crime on the
  reservation.
• 2002, we began to focus our efforts on reducing
  youth drinking (about 90 of youth crimes were
  committed while they were under the influence of
  alcohol.)
• 2004, we began providing prevention programs in 5
  of our communities using White Bisons Sons of
  Tradition and Daughters of Tradition curriculum
  in the schools and community centers. Over 200
  youth have graduated from these programs.
  Underage drinking has reduced as a result of
  these efforts and more of our children are
  involved in cultural activities such as the drum,
  pow wow, and traditional ceremony than we have
  seen in decades.
• In 2005, the Mahnomen County Peacemaking Circle
  Coordinator started a first time minor consuming
  program that educated youth on the harmful
  effects of alcohol. Today, youth crime has
  decreased by over 50.

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Sons and Daughters
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White Earth Wellbriety Coalition and the
Wellbriety Movement of the Ojibwe

• In the fall of 2004, the White Earth Wellbriety
  Coalition and the Wellbriety Movement of the
  Ojibwe were born.
• The White Earth Wellbriety Coalition quickly grew
  to over 50 members. The coalition has been very
  active in the areas of fund raising, sober
  event planning, and our Wellbriety Family Sober
  Camp.
• In 2005, the coalition was successful in
  negotiating with two new convenience stores that
  were going to sell alcohol on the reservation.

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• The White Earth Underage Drinking Taskforce
• Presentations, personal testimonies, state and
  local statistics.
• The youth also ask community members to sign an
  oath not to buy alcohol for underage drinkers and
  for youth to vow not to drink. These oaths will
  be displayed in the public schools and posted in
  the local newspapers.

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Mock Party DispersalLaw enforcement
from two of the three counties and our Tribal
Police department collaborated and were trained
on Controlled Party Dispersal. Approximately 15
law enforcement officers attended the training.
We also had a mock dispersal exercise that
included our youth volunteers. We conducted the
exercise in one of our Tribal Housing units.
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• Bagosendaan (Hope) is a prevention program
  utilizing equine therapy, talking circles, and
  life skills to enhance our childrens self esteem
  and problem solving skills. Youth participate in
  riding at powwows competitions, and trail
  riding. This program has been very successful at
  deterring our youth from underage drinking.

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• The White Earth Wellbriety Drum was honored to be
  selected as the National Wellbriety Drum group by
  White Bison for the years 2005-2010.
• This is the first of 100 Wellbriety Drums in the
  United States, all of the drums will come
  together at a gathering in 2010. White Earth has
  committed to healing and wellness in all of our
  communities which also indicates that we are
  committed to reduce underage drinking.

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• The Future
• The Community Council will be working in
  developing youth councils in each of the tribal
  villages to collaborate in creating and promoting
  healthy and alcohol free event and activities.
• The White Earth Wellbriety Coalition is working
  towards requiring parents to attend a one (1)
  hour forum on drug and alcohol prevention before
  students are allowed to attend prom.
• The Coalition is also working on stopping
  underage drinking at our Casino. We will be
  developing policies and procedures with the
  Security and Surveillance departments.
• WE Fest is the largest outdoor country music
  festival in the United States in Detroit Lakes,
  Minnesota which is a border community of the
  White Earth Reservation which draws over 50,000
  in attendance annually. Many of those who attend
  are underage drinkers. It is the Coalitions
  intent to reduce underage drinking by negotiating
  with event promoter to have separate underage
  camp grounds with increased security.

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• Thank You!