Oswego City-County Youth Bureau

Another contest: Guess the amount of Valentine candy and small items in each jar and send your count in to win the jars! There is Jar #1 and Jar #2, they each have different amounts in them, so send your guess in for each jar! Please send in before February 10th! Send your name, phone and your guess to: Jen Losurdo, Oswego City County Youth Bureau, 70 Bunner St, Oswego, NY 13126. Good luck

More details to come as it gets closer!

The 2021 State of the City Address will be delivered by Mayor Billy Barlow at 8:00 pm tonight. There are several ways to watch. Make sure you tune in!

**TIP TUESDAY** How do you respond if your child says, I am stupid! or I am ugly!? What do say back to build their confidence? It’s very hard for us to hear our children talking negatively about themselves. And our immediate reaction is to DENY their statements and say things like, No, you’re not! or You’re beautiful (smart, talented, etc.), what are you talking about?... Unfortunately, when we do that our children simply feel unheard and not understood. Instead of arguing with their negative self-talk, listen and empathize. You can say: I am sorry you feel this way. It must be very hard. I wish you could see yourself just like I do: a beautiful, kind, loving, caring child Remember, your relationship with your child depends on whether or not they feel heard and understood. This is critical. The more you listen without trying to correct their thoughts and feelings, the stronger your connection will be. Also, take it further by getting curious and ASK questions (if you feel like they’re in the mood of talking about it). You feel like you’re not good at this. Do you want to brainstorm ideas how you can get better? OR I am sorry to hear you feel that way. What makes you think that? OR That’s a heavy feeling. Can you tell me more about it? Get them talking instead of telling them what they should be thinking and feeling. Validate their feelings instead of pushing their negative feelings away.

ADDRESSES FOR FAR: 282 Maple St- Need to go Friday to judge Maidas Floral Shop CMOO... 11 Lathrop St 20 1st Ave 34 W. 2nd St, apt 3 183 5th Ave 102 Sheldon Ave 99 SW 9th St 119 W. Schuyler St 53 W. Seneca St 24 Draper St 144 W, Oneida St 123 Tallman St 100 Ellen St 209 W. 5th St 252 W. 5th St 259 W. 5th St 58 Burden Drive 131 George St 100 George St 53 E. 4th St 164 E. 13th St 19 E. VanBuren St 65 E. 4th St 240 Syracuse Ave See more

January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month and today, January 11th, is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day! Throughout this month we want to r...aise the awareness and provide you with accurate information on Human Trafficking. You don’t have to go across the world to see and know that Human Trafficking is happening, yes it is happening right here in our own neighborhood and community. Human Trafficking affects all populations and does not discriminate against economic status. Beginning tomorrow, be sure to join us every Tuesday in January and follow our Facebook page for Human Trafficking Information Tuesday. Then, on January 28th, there will be a Q & A with our very own Educator/ Coordinator, Jessica Westberry. For this day we would like all of your questions sent ahead of time so we can prepare to answer as many as we can. Please send all questions to Jessica via email: [email protected]

Valentine Contest Time: Please fill out these sheets and send to the Youth Bureau, the address is on them, in order to be entered in a drawing for some fun Valentine Prizes. If you need them mailed to you, please call Jen at the Youth Bureau 315-349-3451 Ext. 3451.

Glad to be a part of this! Thank you to the community for helping fill the bags for our Law Enforcement!

'Tis the season to #GiveBack! Tunes for Tots, Oswego City-County Youth Bureau & the Oswego City Police Department will be participating in an upcoming Stuff-A-Cruiser event this Sunday! On December 13th from 9am-2pm, join us at Ollie’s, located at 293 SR 104, for the 'Stuff-A-Cruiser' for Toys for Tots Event! Please consider donating a new, unwrapped toy for a child in need this holiday season. Also, get a FREE DONUT from Glazed & Confused Donuts (who will be on-site) with your donation while supplies last! Donuts will also be available for purchase. Toys purchased for Toys for Tots will be 10% off.

West Side Residents: Santa is touring Oswego on a firetruck tonight! Bundle up and head out to see him!You can find the route below with approximate times for specific locations.

East Side Residents: Santa is touring Oswego on a firetruck tonight! Bundle up and head out to see him!You can find the route below with approximate times for specific locations.

Leadership Oswego County Youth is now accepting applications for the 2020-2021 class year! LOCY is going into its 22nd class year and this year's class will be provided virtually, for the first time ever! The program is looking for committed Oswego County high school students to join the program to experience a unique, fun, training opportunity that will develop skills to help youth now and in the future. LOCY cultivates skills in the areas of public speaking, community a...wareness and engagement, team building, time management, self-awareness, decision making and SO much more! LOCY will hold a virtual program orientation for registered students in December via Zoom. The program will begin operating in January and run through the month of June. There is no cost to participate. For more details on the program, please refer to the application link below Sign up to join the program at https://forms.gle/rp2aTcTrxPKGr3NXA You must have a valid Google account to sign up. Application link can also be found on the Oswego City-County Youth Bureau's webpage. For any questions regarding the program or online application, please contact Kristen Slimmer, Youth Activities Coordinator, at [email protected]

Have you dropped off your letter to Santa yet? If your child would like a response from Santa, please drop off your letter, with your address listed, at the City Hall mailbox (pictured below) by Sunday, December 6th. Remember, it takes time for responses to make it to and from the North Pole! We want to make sure that all children receive a timely response. Happy Holidays!

Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R,C,I-Pulaski) today announced Stockings for Veterans an effort to collect personal-care items for veterans who must spend the Christmas holiday at the VA Medical Center in Syracuse. We are thankful for organizations and individuals that work together to make the holidays a bit brighter for our veterans. They’ve given so much. A stocking filled with personal-care items for patients will bring them some cheer and let them know ...they and their service are appreciated, said Sheri Valle, Voluntary Service Specialist at the VA Medical Center in Syracuse. Our veterans have given so much for our country and the holidays provide a perfect opportunity to say thank you for your service, said Leader Barclay. We invite anyone from the public groups, businesses, individuals to help make this a success. Please join the Oswego City-County Youth Bureau, the Youth Advisory Council and our communities in collecting donations for this great cause. If you would like to arrange for pickup or drop off of donations, please reach out to [email protected]. All donations are due to Barclay's office by December 18th.

Calling 9th - 12th grade students! Leadership Oswego County Youth is offering a fun and unique experience for high school students in Oswego County to gain lifelong skills that will serve them now and in their future! LOCY will be starting its 22nd year of this training program and is looking for committed students interested in participating!... Participation is FREE and VIRTUAL! Don't wait, sign up today! https://forms.gle/byb6jbCV5PRTUov37 Registration deadline: December 1st Questions about the program? Contact Program Coordinator Kristen Slimmer at [email protected]

Toy donation boxes are now distributed around the County, with many many more to come! Remember, Brand New, Unwrapped, Non-Violent Toys for Boys & Girls 16 and under. Locations that have our boxes are: Oswego Police Department... Oswego Fire Department Oswego Hospital Oswego County Sheriff Department LeRoi's Jewelry, W. Oswego The Woodchuck Saloon, E. Oswego Hibernians, W. Oswego Shamrock Tavern, E. Oswego Gary's Tavern, E. Oswego Wayne's Drugs, W. Oswego The Finishing Touch, E. Oswego Dahl's Diner, Scriba Beyond Blonde, W. Oswego Central Square Urgent Care Hannibal Legion, Hannibal Hannibal Pharmacy Fulton Police Department Fulton Fire Station Many More Locations Coming Soon! And if you work at a business that you think could collect a lot of toys, then please let us know and we'll get you a box.

It's that time of year again! The City of Oswego will host the 33rd annual Tree Lighting! We are so excited to present a safe event for all to enjoy virtually. This year's program looks different than any year previous and we cannot wait for you to experience the joy that comes with the season! Mark your calendars for 5:00 on November 28th to tune into a one of a kind event! Stay tuned for more information regarding our upcoming family-friendly activities including the Coloring Contest, Letters to Santa, Light up Oswego and Christmas Quest!

ATTENTION Are you a worker between the ages of 16-24? If so, we need your input! Find out more information below.

Tip Tuesday! Since it is November and Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away, we thought we would focus on gratitude this week. An easy way to incorporate practicing gratitude daily is to talk about it during dinner or your bedtime routine. ... Robert Holden once said, "The real gift of gratitude is that the more grateful you are, the more present you become."

An opportunity for LGBTQ-identified youth in foster care to provide feedback on their experiences is being provided by OCFS. Due to COVID complications, that project has been shifted to be conducted safely and confidentially in a virtual space, and we are writing you today to ask that you share this opportunity with all youth in foster care who are 14-20 years old, and served by your organization. The focus groups will now be conducted via WebEx from 4-6pm, Monday November 9t...h Thursday November 12th. Please see below for further details on the project: Age: 14-20 years old Participants: youth who both identify as LGBTQ and have experienced the foster care system Access: focus groups will be virtual, conducted via the NYS WebEx account. Youth will require access to an internet enabled phone or computer, as well as a safe, private space to participate in the focus group How to Sign-Up: Youth can access the focus group sign-up page here. The passcode to open the calendar is 1020. There are currently four focus groups scheduled from 4-6pm, starting Monday Nov. 9th and ending Thursday Nov. 12th. Youth are encouraged to choose a focus group slot as soon as possible, as each focus group has a maximum of 10 participants. If there is demand for more focus groups due to high volume, that may be considered. Please share with any youth that fit this criteria!

Help support the United Way! You can purchase tickets from any United Way member, Dufore's or at the Oswego City County Youth Bureau!

Fly Over of the 2020 Trick or Treating Event at The Oswego Speedway Video by Jerry Maher for IHeartOswego.com

Drone Stills of the Trick or Treat at the Oswego Speedway Photos by Jerry Maher for IHeartOswego.com

This album is contains just the Vendors that attended this event. A huge shout out to Jen Losurdo and her volunteers for putting on the largest most well organ...ized, event of the year! Photos by Jerry Maher for IHeartOswego.com #iHeartOswegoApproved #oswegocitycountyyouthbureau #TheAMAZINGJenLosurdo See more

1st ever City of Oswego Halloween Drive thru trick or treating!!! #IHeartOswego #iHeartOswegoApproved

Wizard of Oz booth at the Oswego Drive Thru Trick or Treat at the Oswego Speedway Photos by Marcelo Larangeira for IHeartOswego.com