About
The Pledge for Life Partnership is a volunteer-driven coalition of concerned citizens working to improve the quality of life in Kankakee and Iroquois counties in east central Illinois.
Members work to find solutions to the causes of school failure, substance abuse, juvenile delinquency and other life-compromising behaviors.
supports values that
- Help parents address behavior expectations and consequences with their children regarding destructive behaviors and negative influences, particularly underage alcohol use.
- Reduce underage access to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.
- Reduce violence in the home, schools and community through communication and conflict resolution training.
- Provide greater access to out-of-school opportunities for all school age youth.
established 1989
the partnership is governed by a 24-member board of directors comprised of parents, community members and representatives from education, business, government, law enforcement and other health and social service agencies.
Pledge for Life Board
| Directors and Officers | Ex-Officio Members | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarah Winkel – President of Board | Bourbonnais Township Park District | Matt Adamson | Assistant Professor at Olivet Nazarene University – Social Work and Criminal Justice | |
| Grace Seggebruch – Vice President of Board | Kankakee County Juvenile Probation | Dennis Baron | Deck & Baron Attorneys at Law | |
| Jackie Haas – Secretary of Board | Helen Wheeler Center | Rosalinda Chavez | Student – Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School | |
| Dr. Gregg Murphy – Treasurer of Board | I-KAN Regional Office of Education | Travis Crossland | Illinois National Guard Counterdrug Task Force | |
| Dr. Debra Baron | Project SUN Director – Community Foundation of Kankakee River Valley | Carole Franke | I-KAN Regional Office of Education | |
| John Bevis | Kankakee County Health Department | Jane Grosso | I-KAN Regional Office of Education | |
| Marge Garay | Clinical Director; Stepping Stones, Inc. | Aaron Harsy | Illinois State Police District 21 Commander | |
| Mark Hodge | Mayor of Village of Hopkins Park | Lynda Marti | I-KAN Regional Office of Education | |
| Barb King | Iroquois County Probation Department | Kay Pangle | Retired Regional Superintendent from the I-KAN Regional Office of Education | |
| Sandy Knight | Kankakee YWCA | Frank Petkunas | I-KAN Regional Office of Education | |
| Clayt Wolfe | KAMEG Director | Sydney Ramsey | Student – Kankakee High School | |
| Lorenia Lara | Hippocrates Medical Clinic in Kankakee | Amber Residori | Dean of the School of Health & Life Sciences at Olivet Nazarene University | |
| Vurnice Maloney – | Garden of Prayer Youth Center | Bonnie Schaafsma | Retired from the Kankakee County Health Department | |
| Jim Phelps | Chief of Police – Bourbonnais Police Department | Jim Schreiner | I-KAN Regional Office of Education | |
| Dr. John Palan | Superintendent of Grant Park School District No. 6 | Marshall Shearer | Illinois National Guard Counterdrug Task Force | |
| Dee Ann Schippert | Iroquois County Public Health Department | Brenda Wetzel | I-KAN Regional Office of Education | |
Student leaders representing high schools across Kankakee County collaborate as agents to help our community become safer and healthier. The Youth Advisory Council (YAC) increases youth representation in partnership planning and policy activities focusing on underage drinking, marijuana use and youth prescription drug misuse. The youth create communication campaigns using billboards, positive social norms messages with memes, and radio public service announcements.
These young leaders educate and inform elected officials at the local and state level about substance misuse issues prevalent among their peers. Youth Advisory Council students collaborate with other local and state youth groups partnering on initiatives that make a difference in our communities.
