About Us 

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Sites

Alma Police Dept.

525 E. Superior St.

Mon. - Fri. 

8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Gratiot Co. Sheriff

226 E. Center

Ithaca

open 24 hrs./day

7 days/week

Both sites accept

prescription pills, liquids, and patches.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of deaths from cancer for both men and women. Tobacco use causes 87 percent of all deaths from lung cancer. Mid-Michigan Cancer Center is offering smoking cessation education.

If you are interested in learning more about the Lung Clinic, a free telephone screening is available by calling
 989-463-9307
 (press 2).

Quick Links

Think positive - less than two months until the first day of Spring!

Our annual 5K fundraiser is on May 10.  We enjoy encouraging people to exercise to stay healthy while raising funds to help prevent child abuse and neglect in Gratiot County.  With a superhero theme this year, what superhero are you going to be? There will be prizes for best costume!

Thank you to all of you who braved the storm on January 25th for our 4th annual Family Expo.  Despite the weather it was a wonderful day and we had a great turnout.  Check out pictures from the event on our Facebook Page, Child Advocacy - Gratiot County.   

This month, we offer informative articles about what is happening within our programs.  It is amazing how diverse our programs are and what our office has to offer Gratiot County!

Enjoy,

Child Advocacy Staff

Check out our website www.linkforfamilies.org.

"Otherside"

by Ty Warczinsky

GCSAC Coordinator 

First off, I want to address the tragedy that struck our community a few weeks ago: the passing of Sean Murawske. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family, Alma College, and the entire Harbor Beach Community. 

Many negative influences are lurking in our world today.  I think it seems as if there is much more negative than positive at work because the negativity is the subject of most of the media's attention, and we are fed devastating news stories on a daily basis.  I would like to shine some light on a young man that I feel deserves light shone upon him, a rapper named Macklemore.  This is a man whose lyrics speak out against hate, consumerism, and addiction. Through his lyrics, Macklemore allows us to share in his story of pain, sorrow, disgrace, recovery, and relapse.  He speaks the truth about the dangers of drugs and alcohol by medium of music.  

Click here for "Otherside" lyrics 

Macklemore became a poster boy for a successful recovery from drugs and alcohol.  The exemplary part of his story was that it focused on recovery as a journey and not just the completion of an obstacle.  Because those who have struggled with addiction are well aware that recovery and sobriety are not items on an agenda that receive a check mark when completed; they are a daily battle and journey that one fights over and over again. Macklemore is vulnerable to a new depth in his song "Starting Over" because of his transparency in the shameful truth that he relapsed after writing his inspirational hit "Otherside." 

Macklemore influenced countless people struggling in the grips of addiction with his song "Otherside." He could have used his success to easily mask his relapse, but instead he chose to write about the truth many addicts know all too well-the risk of relapse. I believe Macklemore is on to something...something we need to grab ahold of.  You see, society pressures us to keep our shameful secrets hidden and in darkness.  

Many of us live with the nagging fear that if the world knew our secrets that we would be left alone and rejected.  When in truth, change happens when we share without fear or shame.  We will change our community by being transparent and honest. If one person steps forward to share his/her story, it's in those times that light shines in the dark corners of the world.  This is when change can happen because one person's bravery can help overcome another person's fear and that person can then influence another.  Rick Patino articulates this truth well, "Lying makes a problem a part of the future; truth makes a problem a part of the past." When we allow truth the spotlight is when we can truly help prevent others from falling for the age old appeal of drugs and alcohol.

Identifying Safe Strangers

By: Richelle Davis

Prevention Educator

When talking to your child about strangers, make sure to teach them how to identify safe strangers.  There may come a time when your child needs help and does not know anyone around them.  Maybe they are in the store, at McDonald's, or playing at the park and need help.  It is important to teach your child how to identify who to go to for assistance.  Safe strangers are people your child can ask for help when they need it.  Police officers and firefighters are two examples of very recognizable safe strangers, but you may not always see them around, so who can you go to?  

If your child is in a store or restaurant, teach your child to look for people who are working there.  People who are wearing a uniform and/or name tag, or those who are working at the cash register or behind the counter would be considered safe.  In a time of emergency, your child could go to them for help.  Maybe your child is playing at the park and there are no employees to look for.  In that case, in Protect Yourself, I teach children to look for a mom/dad with children. This would be someone you could consider safe to go to if you need help.  Be sure to emphasize that whenever possible, children should go to a public place to seek help.

You can help your child identify who safe strangers are by pointing them out in your neighborhood.  If you are in a restaurant, ask your child who they would go to for help.  While playing at the park, have your child look around and identify who the safe strangers around them are.  Teaching our children about strangers and discussing these situations with them, empowers our children to be confident in knowing what to do in an emergency situation. 

Business Improvement Award

By: Heather Gardner

CAC Coordinator

Child Advocacy is excited to announce that we received a 2013 Business Improvement Award from the Alma Action Association for the addition of our Children's Advocacy Center.  We were presented the award at the Chamber of Commerce breakfast on January 24th.  It was wonderful to receive the award and to have the large diverse group of attendees hear a brief description of The Children's Advocacy Center and our recent accreditation through the National Children's Alliance.

As a non-profit organization it was an honor to be included with a large list of businesses in Gratiot County that are also growing.  It is with the continued support of our community and many collaborations that has afforded us to opportunity to grow and provide important quality programs to the children and families of Gratiot County.