Dear editor, Dec. 4 marked the end of a 10-week teen program created by Napa Emergency Women’s Services and Voice Our Independent Choices for Emancipation Support.

This experimental healthy teen dating discussion group is called CARES, Communication and Relationship Education Support, and is a safe haven for Napa youth to explore, learn and exercise healthy dating tools and receive knowledge to help others.

On behalf of CARES Staff, we would like to formally thank the following local businesses for donations: Small World Café, Buckhorn Grill, Betty’s Girl Boutique, Gina’s Café, Downtown Joe’s, Sweetie Pies, Target, Butter Cream Bakery and Cinedome Napa. They were generous enough to support CARES with their donations, which we used as incentives and rewards for teens who attended seven out of 10 groups.

Throughout the entire program, we had 20-25 attendees with an average of seven per group.

It was said by teens that CARES was “a place where I feel safe to talk,” where “you won’t judge me,” where they felt “really comfortable and OK to be open and honest” and, of course, a place that “has really cool prizes.” Most of the teens who joined the group did so because of a friend’s advice to come. They all entered the group with an open mind and curiosity and most of them have had unhealthy relationship experiences.

It was an honor for the facilitating staff to witness teens‚ relationships, decision making and everyday lives change as they learned alternative dating styles: healthy styles.

Throughout the 10-week program, we saw them recognize that they may have not have always made the best or healthiest decisions, but also that they have positive choices that can lead them into healthy, control-free dating futures.

We are looking forward to an all new start of CARES in early 2007. If you have any questions, you may contact Amber at VOICES, 251-9432 or Sarahid at NEWS, 252-3687.

Thank you all again for your generosity.

Sarahid Rivera and CARES staff / Napa