Document 65503

Look for these
topics in our
next issue
News on Child Abuse Prevention Month and Pinwheels for
Prevention Our quarterly Spotlight on
Adoption
Annual Blue Ribbon Breakfast
January 2009
Friends of Greene County Children
Services hosts the First Annual Bee for
Children
Partipants in the First Annual Bee for Children.
On January 9th, Friends of Greene
County Children Services held their
first annual Bee for Children at the
Schindler Center in Xenia. Fun was
had by all as adults, college students
and high schools students battled
it out in a challenging spell-off.
WHIO’s Gabrielle Enright emceed
the event. In the end, the word
“resuscitate” led to the demise of
three of our spelling teams, leaving
Greene County Family and Children
First as our spelling champs.
Friends of Greene County Children
Services is a community-based, unincorporated, non-profit organization
established for the purpose of developing funds to be used for child abuse
and neglect programming.
Stay tuned for information on our Second Annual Bee for Children this Fall.
GOING “GREENE”
The Children’s Herald would like to go “Greene” and become solely an electronic newsletter. But, we can’t do it without your email
addresses. Please send your email address to [email protected] so we can put you on our electronic newsletter list, and save
a few trees. Thank you!
CHILDREN’S
INSIDE
A word from GCCS Executive Director, Dr.
Rhonda Reagh
Spotlight on adoption: Could this teen
boy be just right for your family?
Coverage of the first annual Bee for
Children
Special holiday thank you
Going “Greene”
Children’s Herald continues its effort to
become paperless.
The Children’s Herald is a quarterly newsletter
designed to keep you informed about the news
and events at Greene County Children Services.
Executive Director: Rhonda Reagh, Ph.D.
Editor: J.J. Kunkle, M.S.
601 Ledbetter Rd. Xenia, OH 45385
937.562.6600 fax 937.562.6650
www.greenecsb.org
Contact us
To report suspected child abuse or neglect,
please call (937) 562-6600, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Mon.
through Fri. On weekends, holidays or after 5
p.m., call (937) 372-HELP (4357).
For more information about adoption, foster care
or volunteer opportunities, please call
(937) 562-6600 or visit our website at
www.greenecsb.org.
Herald
It takes a community to protect a child
Angels and Santas galore
at GCCS this year
Santa made many stops at GCCS this year!
Thanks to the generosity of hundreds of
Greene County residents, many families
had a much merrier holiday than expected.
Toys, books, bikes, hats, mittens and coats
filled the board room and halls of GCCS-all awaiting homes with grateful Greene
County families.
GCCS would like to take this opportunity
to thank everyone who donated items
to the children and families we serve. We
couldn’t do it without you!
Toy donations from Greene County and beyond--all
waiting to go to their new homes!
“With the help of community members, churches and local businesses, GCCS was able to
provide struggling families with toys, bikes, books, hats, mittens, warm clothing--and in some
cases Christmas dinner and a tree with ornaments and lights for the holiday,” said GCCS Executive Director, Dr. Rhonda Reagh. “It just reminds us that Greene County is truly a county that
cares about its children and families. “
From the Executive Director
Rhonda Reagh, Ph.D.
Happy New Year Greene County! I am one of those people who
always feels a great deal of excitement when one year ends and a
new one begins. The anticipation of what lies around the corner is
exhilarating to me especially when the old year ended on such a
positive note. Thanks to your belief in the agency, we were able to
pass a new levy in very trying economic times in November and had
an absolutely huge outpouring of generosity during the holidays
for the kids and families we serve. We are so privileged to serve this
community. Thank you! But, our work is not done.
for family violence and child abuse to occur. As economic conditions
worsen, family resources to heat homes, pay utility bills, buy clothes,
and feed children tighten. Funding continues to be cut at the state
level for the very programs that we need to meet local needs. Just
since the time that we started our levy campaign at the end of September, 2008, the agency has taken a 10% cut in the only dedicated
state revenue line for child protection! These cuts, along with those
received by our partner systems, begin to erode the ground we
gained with our levy passage.
While 2009 is full of promise and possibilities, it is also going to be
a very hard year for families and children across the state and in our
county. Unemployment and lay-off numbers continue to climb and
as families experience more stress, the environment becomes prime
The agency will need to hunker down and consider the most effective ways to meet growing needs with less money. I am optimistic
that by continuing our standards of researching and using evidence
based practices, we will be able to continue to stay on the cutting
December Spotlight
Chris
When not outside, you
would most likely find this
fifteen-year-old playing
video games, or watching
television. Chris thinks
that having a family that
enjoys these same types
of activities would be
great.
Living in the country is
Chris’ dream. Living on a
farm would be even
better. Chris says that he
enjoys the outdoors and
the work involved in
helping to care for a home
and a farm. He also
enjoys building and
repairing small engines
and feels that he is skilled
in this area.
Chris would do best in a
family where he is the
youngest or only child.
An ideal family for Chris
would be one that is
able to provide him with
patience, guidance and
individual attention. If you
think you may be the
family for Chris, please
contact Jana Howell,
Adoption Caseworker, at
(937) 562-6600, ext. 694.
edge of child protection. Greene County has a history of “working smart” for kids. Through collaboration and communication
with the public, child serving agencies have mutually found
ways to be innovative, effective and responsive to the needs
of our constituents. I want to challenge us all to take that seriously in this new year and to strive to the standard evoked in
this statement by George Bernard Shaw….” The people who get
on in this world are people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can’t find them, make them”. Let’s
do it for our children.
RESOLUTIONS
Four Parenting
Resolutions
A special holiday thank-you to the following donors:
Talk with your
Huber Heights Animal Hospital
St. Lukes Cathedral
St. Lukes Mom and Tots Group
Barnes and Noble - Beavercreek
Prudential One of Beavercreek and Xenia
Autumn Creek Moms Bunco Group
Bryan’s Bikes
Wright Place Senior Housing Apartment in Xenia
Claire’s Boutique - Piqua Mall
The Architectural Group
Mary, Jacob, Andrew and Hanna Lebamoff
HMR Tech
Thomas and Rebecca Paice
Hewett Wells
Jo Smith
Evergreen Children’s Center
Dale and Cindy Dyco
Carrie Dingus and the Greek Orthodox Church
Amy Crawford and the Yellow Spring’s United Methodist
Church
Peace Lutheran Church
Amanda Hedger
Beavercreek High School - Student Council and PEERS
Greene County Sheriff’s Department
All-Star 4-H
Eastern Star
Coldwell Banker - Beavercreek and Xenia
RII - The Rogosin Institute
Sheila Kilgore
WA Hammond Inc. Company
Wright State University
Elder Berman
Wright Pat
Bellbrook Fire Department
The Buttrey Family
Ferguson Chiropractic
Walter and Lorean Jones
Sibcy Cline, Beavercreek
Jenny Mannarino
children, not at them
Respect your children’s
differences from you
and from each other
Avoid put-downs, even
as jokes. Children take
them seriously
Recognize your children’s good decisions
Kerriann Cloyes, Community Relations Manager at Barnes &
Noble, helped organize a book drive for GCCS
and point them out
with special
compliments