200 Highland Drive Medina, Ohio 44256 www.MedinaCountyChildrensCenter.org Healing Families, Changing Lives Quarterly Newsletter Upcoming Events Annual Campaign Did you know that as many as 400,000 babies born in the U.S. this year will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday? Imagine being one of those abused children and not having a safe place to tell your story or receive the medical attention you need. The Children’s Center helps children of all ages and their families recover from the devastation of child sexual abuse and neglect by providing forensically-sound interviews, medical examinations, crisis intervention, follow up services and referrals for long-term counseling. All of these services are provided to the child and the non-offending family members at no cost because of the Center’s generous donors. Please consider joining The Children’s Center of Medina County’s Protectors’ Circle. Your gift will directly impact local children and families who depend on caring adults for help. Last years donations allowed the Children’s Center to help 111 abused and/or neglected children in Medina County to begin healing from abuse. Without your support, this would not have been possible. If you have any questions or would like to talk about other ways you can join us in protecting our children, please feel free to contact Rhonda Wurgler, Executive Director, at 330-764-8891 ext.214 or at [email protected] The children are our future — Together we can make a difference! Grocery Giveaway Drawing has MOVED! Volume 3 Issue 3 July - September 2013 YEAR TO DATE Community Outreach 1183 Children referred for sex abuse 40 Foster Care Visits 474 Prevention Training 13 Inside this issue: Fundraisers Partnerships Prevention Training We have moved our annual grocery giveaway from Spring to Fall and is now called Annual Gift Card Giveaway. Winners will receive gift cards of their choice from many different stores in Medina County such as Buehler’s, Giant Eagle, Target, Marc’s & WalMart. The drawing for the big event will be held on November 24, 2013. Please note: winners do not need to be present. Volunteer Appreciation Tickets are NOW on sale and for added convenience, Buehler’s Doug Turnbaugh has generously agreed to give us time to sell tickets at their River Styx store on Sunday, Nov. 10th, Saturday, Nov. 16th & Sunday, Nov. 17th 2 3 Community Involvement 4 Corporate Sponsors 5 Protector’s Circle 5 Items Needed 6 Children’s Center Contact Information 6 Our Mission is to nurture abused and neglected children through collaboration, advocacy, treatment, and prevention. Upcoming Events Page 2 Volume 3 Issue 3 Snowmen Markers These friendly snowmen are a great way to help lighten the mood while keeping your property protected. Snowmen Driveway Markers will be for sale in the upcoming weeks with all proceeds benefitting The Children’s Center. Please contact Rhonda with inquires at 330-764-8891 ext 214. Snowmen Driveway Markers will also be available for purchase on Nov. 29th, 30th, & Dec. 1st at Christmas Around the World. www.christmasinthecolonies.com/christmas.htm Tis the season to Adopt-a-Family! We are seeking additional businesses, individuals, and community groups to help make a child’s holiday wishes come true by becoming a sponsor. Last year with sponsors help, we gave 760 children Christmas gifts. Wish lists go out starting November 1st and gifts will be received at the Children’s Center the first two weeks of December. Please contact Trudy at 330-764-8891 ext 215 or [email protected] Whether you want to adopt a single child or siblings, any size sponsorship will help give a child have a happier holiday season. Prevention - Protection - Prosecution - Partnership On August 6, 2013, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) announced that the Kasich administration has taken another positive step towards fighting human trafficking. Child Advocacy Centers (CAC) within the state of Ohio are now first responders for minor victims of human trafficking. The Children’s Center of Medina County will train multi-disciplinary team members to provide direct services to minor victims of human trafficking, develop and identify important community resources and provide community workshops on human trafficking responses protocol. Human trafficking for minor victims includes trafficking a minor for the purpose of sexual exploitation, exploiting a minor through prostitution and exploiting a minor through survival sex. Even though this act of “modern day slavery” has recently had a great deal of attention, it is crucial for our community to understand that human trafficking is deeply rooted in every city, metropolitan area and in every state in America, big or small. It is not just a problem in foreign countries - it impacts all of us. To read more, please visit this link http://jfs.ohio.gov/ocomm/index.stm Volume 3 Issue 3 Page 3 Prevention Training Program We currently have openings for groups, parents, and professionals for the Darkness to Light Stewards of Children child sexual abuse prevention program. Stewards of Children is a training program that teaches adults how to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. Please call Kim Brightbill 330-764-8891 ext.212 today to schedule a training session! Protect their only Childhood! “As a parent or as someone who works with children, this program is essential to protect them.” Thank You for Making a Difference Volunteer Appreciation Involvement is one of the best ways to feel connected and has a meaningful, positive impact on the community. Volunteers have always been the cornerstone of The Children’s Center and our ability to be successful rests in large part on our volunteer generosity. To show appreciation for our volunteers energy, hard work and dedication, we held our first Annual Volunteer Appreciation Picnic on September 1st at Huffman Park. Marco’s Pizza in Medina generously provided pizza which helped make it a fun and successful event. Together we are making a huge difference in the lives of children. No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. --Aesop Volume 3 Issue 3 Page 4 Community Involvement The Children’s Center was proud to attend the 2013 Back to School Rallies in Brunswick, Wadsworth and Medina. These one day events provided backpacks and school supplies for children in need. Along with school supplies, families also had the opportunity to receive free items and information from community organizations. Local dentists provided children with an oral hygiene kit and PJs from Grandma was on hand with new pajamas for children to choose from and we provided books. The Children’s Center would like to thank those who donated to the Stuff the Bus campaign, without these donations, the Back to School Rally would not have be successful. Photo by THE CHILDREN’S CENTER Photo by EMILY CANNING-DEAN Photo by EMILY CANNING-DEAN The Children’s Center was thrilled to be a part of this year’s Walk with your Best Friend Against Abuse to benefit the Battered Women’s Shelter of Medina County. We had a booth at the event which included a one-mile walk, dog costume contest, doggy demo, music, information tables, refreshments and more! To learn more about why we walk, visit http://www.walkwithyourbestfriend.com/3/miscellaneous2.htm Youth Making a Difference No matter what anyone says, young people can and will continue to make a difference and help influence events in the community. Heather Roberts has three giving daughters that have contributed to the Children’s Center mission. The girls sold bracelets and with the proceeds, donated wish list items. We are very grateful to be part of a community that has such awesome youth. Volume 3 Issue 3 July - September 2013 Page 5 2013 Corporate Sponsors, Thank You! Critchfield, Critchfield & Johnston, Ltd. THERAPEUTIC ASSOCIATES OF MEDINA www.therapyonliberty.com 315 West Liberty Ave. Medina, OH 44256 Tunes for All Times Ryan Stuff D.J. / Master of Ceremonies 330-441-1657 [email protected] The Protector’s Circle Thank you Medina County. We truly appreciate your support!!! Listed are the 3nd quarter 2013 Protector’s Circle members by level: In Memory: Ann Keith Champions ($2000 and Greater): IBEW #306/JWD Advocates ($1,000-$1,999): Defenders ($500-$999): Linda & Craig Riley, Guardians ($250-$499): Angels ($100-$249): Valspar Corporation, Jen Graham Friends ($50-$99): Other: Donna & David Irwin, Carolyn Virzi, Lisa Claus, Mary Stupar, Kerry Birth, PJs from Grandma, Marco’s Pizza—Medina, Heather Roberts and family, Kaci Church, Debbie Cooper, Trudy Rasmuseen, Juliana Klien, Christine Hiebert, Sheila Jacobsen, Lauren Hakos Checci, Sheila Noel Page 6 Qu ar t er ly N ew sl et t er Our Mission is to nurture abused and neglected children through collaboration, advocacy, treatment, and prevention. The Children’s Center of Medina County 200 Highland Drive Medina, Ohio 44256 Phone: 330-764-8891 Our goals are: to provide consistent and compassionate care; to reduce the number of needed interviews; to ensure the childs entire physical health with a timely medical evaluation; to promote healing; to increase the prosecution of those who sexually abuse children; to provide a family friendly place; to increase public awareness; and to provide prevention strategies and programming to prevent child abuse. We are an Associate Level Member of the National Children’s Alliance. We are a 501 ( C ) (3 )Non-Profit Charitable Organization. We are a member of the Ohio Network of Child Advocacy Centers. Fax: 330-764-8893 www.medinacountychildrenscenter.org healing families, changing lives Y o u r c o n ti n u ed su pp o r t t r ul y h el p s c h i l d r en i n n eed We are in NEED of support! Currently we are looking for COMMITTEE MEMBERS for the following fundraisers: Children’s Cup, Gift card Giveaway and Blue Jeans to Work. MONETARY donations are needed to keep our doors open and to provide services. A wish list is available at our website www.MedinaCountyChildrensCenter.org or for more information please call 330-764-8891 ext. 214. Board of Directors Louise Brown, President Kathryn Warner, Vice President Toula Barlow, Secretary Mike Warner, Treasurer Beth Beal Sarah Toops Kim Wilson John Ross Jennifer Graham Robin Massaro Sarah Toman Executive Director Rhonda Wurgler, MPA Case Manager Kim Brightbill Nurses Karen Fitzgerald, MSN, BNP-BC Robyn Silves, LPN We have PayPal on our website to make donating easy! Mental Health Barbara Michelson, Ph.D. Volunteers Debbie Cooper, Bookkeeper Trudy Rasmussen, Adopt-a-Family Linda Riley, Administrative Sheila Noel, Communications Jen Mussen, Beautification