CA with tag line 

 525 N. State Street � Suite 4 � Alma, MI 48801 
(989) 463-1422

 
 "The greatest thing
a father can do
for his children
is to love their mother."

- John Wooden -


In This Issue

About Us 

 

 Child Advocacy is a non-profit agency with a mission to improve the welfare of children and their families through education, training, and support for the prevention of substance abuse and child abuse and neglect.

 Our Staff
  
Audra Stahl 
Executive Director
   
Pam Mahin
Office Manager

 

Ty Warczinsky 
GCSAC Coordinator
 
 Richelle Davis 
Prevention Educator
 
Heather Gardner
 CAC Coordinator
 
Michelle Zombeck
 CASA Coordinator 
 
Brenda Shafley
Event/Volunteer Coordinator
 
 

Board of Directors 

President
Wes Wickes
Youth for Christ
  
Vice President 
Jennifer Leppien
CASA
  
Treasurer
Carolyn Studley
  Community Representative

Secretary 
 Kelly Piotrowski
Dept. of Human Services

 

Steve Benn
Detective/Sgt.
MI State Police


Colleen Davis
Prosecuting Attorney's Office 
   
Rob DuHadway
DuHadway Dance Dimensions

    Carolyn Hilley
 Gratiot Co. Comm. Mental Health


David Justin
 Alma School Board
  
Mike Morris
Detective, Gratiot Co. Sheriff's Dept. 
  
Jamie Richardson
Doehring Schultz Insurance Agency

Matt Schooley
City of Alma Transportation

 
Jennifer Siefker
Tri Lakes Petroleum
  
Jennifer Stambaugh
DeafBlind Central CMU

Andrea Tabor 
Mid MI District Health Dept
 
Joe Yourchock
Community Representative
 

Car

Seat Safety

 

Did you know that at Child Advocacy we can install and provide a safety inspection for your child safety seat?  Child Advocacy has a nationally certified safety seat technician available!
To make an appointment call
 989-463-1422
 or 800-552-4489

Permanent Prescription Drug Drop Off

Site

 

Gratiot Co. Sheriff

226 E. Center

Ithaca

open 24 hrs./day

7 days/week


 

Alma Police Dept.

525 E. Superior St.

 Hours 

8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.

Monday - Friday


 

St. Louis Police Dept.

108 W. Saginaw St.

Hours

Mon. 7 - 3 

Tues. - Fri. 8 - 4 
 

The sites accept

prescription pills, liquids, and patches.

Your Feedback!

 

 "That was a very well put together, wonderful event. Thank you for all you do! AND the rain agreed with us...YAY!"

 

Participant at 5K Event 2015 

 

Quick Links

 
Join Our Mailing List

 

 

The long-awaited summer has arrived!

Thank you for taking a minute to read our newsletter. This month we share the Child Advocacy award recipients, the 5K event age group winners, and interesting program articles.

 

Enjoy,

Child Advocacy Staff

 

Check out our website www.linkforfamilies.org.

Volunteers Needed 

Michelle Zombeck

CASA Coordinator

 

Review the information, fill out an application, plan for training and get ready to make a difference!

 

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Gratiot County will be holding a specialized training in the fall for community members who are interested in making a difference in the lives of children who are involved in abuse and neglect situations. 

 

CASA volunteers are appointed by judges to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in court and other settings. The primary responsibilities of a CASA volunteer are to investigate, facilitate, advocate and monitor children assigned to them.

 

No special background or education is required to volunteer.  A potential volunteer would need to be age 21 or older, be willing to complete necessary background checks, provide references and participate in an interview. 

Volunteers are asked to complete a minimum of 30 hours of training, be available for court appearances, and commit to the CASA program until your first case is closed.  

Training will begin September 14th and run through October 19th on Monday and Wednesday in the evenings from 5:30-8:30 p.m.

 

Please contact Child Advocacy for more information 

(989) 463-1422. 

Child Advocate of the Year

Congratulations to Ronda Sorensen for being awarded the
Child Advocate of the Year!
Ronda has spent most of her life helping children.  She recently retired from Child Advocacy and had previously worked for Gratiot County Department of Human Services for more than 30 years. Ronda is the definition of a professional leader.  She treated each and every client with the utmost respect.  Ronda would see the good in everyone and truly believed that if you give people the tools and skills necessary they will succeed. Ronda was a champion for our children and a cheerleader to those of us doing the work.

The Organizaton of the Year was awarded to DuHadway Dance Dimensions (DDD).  Rob and Jillian DuHadway were honored for their commitment to children, families and service in Gratiot County. Children who attend DDD for dance lessons receive more than just education in dance, they also receive and education in civic responsibility and service to their community.  DDD dancers provide entertainment for two of Child Advocacy's fundraisers. Child Advocacy also partners with DDD to provide a one day free Dance Experience Event for mostly disadvantaged children in the community.  DDD also volunteers their time to support several other community activities. The staff, dancers and parents of DDD are truly doing their part to make Gratiot County a better place to live and work and to help improve the lives and children and their families.

5 Tips for Transitioning Kids to Summer

Pam Mahin

Child Safety Seat Technician 

 

Kids everywhere are saying goodbye school and hello summer. While the kids may be super excited about the last day of school, many parents experience anxiety about keeping their children occupied during the summer months.

Help ease the transition from school to summer by following a few key tips:

 

1. Develop a consistent routine. While the summer naturally lends itself to a more laid back schedule, incorporating some consistency into a child's day can be beneficial.

 

2. Keep kids connected. During the summer months, help school aged children stay connected to their friends.

 

3. Continue learning. Providing opportunities for ongoing learning will help children keep their school skills sharp.

 

4. Stock up on summer supplies. Be sure your home is well stocked with summer supplies, like sunscreen, swimsuits, bubbles, sprinklers, proper fitting bike helmets and other items for outdoor play.

 

5. Schedule back to school appointments. Don't forget to schedule back to school checkups, dentist appointments and any evaluations that are required before your child returns to school.

 

While trying to entertain the children all summer can be stressful for parents, spending quality time with family can be rewarding.  Focus on engaging, rather than entertaining the kids. When you do, you'll find that you truly enjoy your extra time together.

 

Click here for more ideas.

Child Advocacy 

Superhero 5K Results

 

A BIG thank you to everyone who participated or volunteered at the 5K Superhero Event!  Please mark your calendar for next year's Superhero race - Saturday,

May 7, 2016!

 

Kids Fun Run Results

Overall Female -  Saila Schilling (8:13)

Overall Male -  Trenton Polash (8:15)

 

5K Walk Results

Overall Female - Hope Delorenzo (40:57)

14 and under -  Jenna Abell (47:53)

30 to 39 - Danielle Leonard (45:36)

40 to 49 - Nancy Palmer (53:56)

50 and up - Jan Schafer (42:25)

 

Overall Male - Bryan Crouch (41:02)

14 and under - Logan Abell (53:16)

30 to 39 - Ray Leonard (45:34)

40 to 49 - Mark Abell - (53:15)

 

5K Run Results

Overall Female - Stephanie Benn (25:02)

14 and under - Laila Heiss (34:20)

20 to 29 - McKennah Rupke (26:43)

30 to 39 - Carrie Heiss (26:42)

40 to 49 - Roxanne Morey (25:22)

50 and up - Chris Sipka and Sue Stack (30:52)

 

Overall Male - Joseph Wohlfert (19:10)

14 and under - Andrew Shafley (23:13)

15 to 19 - Ryan Olah (32:15)

20 to 29 - Seth Downes (19:24)

30 to 39 -Jose Castillo (24:28)

50 and up - Andy Shafey (21:07)

 

 

Click here to view the full results.

 

 

Congratulations to all the winners!! 

The Protect Yourself Program

By: Richelle Davis

Prevention Educator

  

As our days grow warmer and our school year draws to a close, so does The Protect Yourself Program.  We are excited to have been able to teach this empowering program to 883 students this year!  The Protect Yourself Program is now being taught to every 1st and 3rd grader in Gratiot County with the program being offered in:   Alma, Ashley, Breckenridge, Fulton, Ithaca, St. Louis, and St. Mary's.

 

As awesome as it is to see our program continue to grow by leaps and bounds each year, the real awesomeness lies in the number of children whose lives are being changed with the knowledge they are gaining from these lessons.  I am in awe every time I step into the classroom at how unaware many of our children are when it comes to dealing with strangers and in how to protect their bodies and keep them safe.

 

The groundwork has been laid and now parents need to continue the conversations.  Talk to your children about strangers, give them different scenarios and situations and ask them what they would do.  Continue to talk to your child about safe touches vs. unsafe touches.  In Protect Yourself, we teach that each child is the "boss" of their own body.  Encourage your child to always tell you about anyone that makes them uncomfortable or that gives them unsafe or unwanted touches.  Let's continue to work together to keep our children safe.

Scheduled Classes

 

Foster/Adoptive/Relative Care Support Group

Tuesday, June 9

6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Youth for Christ - Alma 


 

ACT Parenting Class 

for parents of children 0 - 8 years old

Starts Tuesday, June 9 
Will meet Tuesday and Thursday's for 3 weeks
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Wilcox Non-Profit Center 
525 N. State Street - Alma

 

Please call our office at (989) 463-1422 to register for a class.
Summer Hours
Starting the week of June 8

Monday - Thursday
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Closed Friday
Summer is here!  Please remember to NEVER leave your child in a hot car.  It only takes a few minutes in a hot car for your child's body temperature to get high enough to do permanent damage.
Have a fun and safe summer!


Sincerely,
Audra Stahl
Executive Director