Announcements and Other Business:
Octoberfest is happening Saturday, October 20th from 9:00 – 5:00 in downtown Elkhorn. Additional volunteers are still needed for the Beer and Wine tent.
Stir it Up is slated for Sunday, November 4th. Volunteers are needed for Saturday, November 3rd and then again on Sunday, November 4th for the event. Contact Tom Oehler if you have not had a chance to sign up yet. This is an important fundraiser for the club, and all hands are needed as volunteers. Please see Chris Clapper for Stir It Up tickets if you need more.
There will be a Fish Fry Social Event @ 5:30 on October 19th at Evergreen Country Club – please join fellow Rotary members. Let Dawn know if you may be attending.
New Membership Orientation Event will be held on Monday, November 19th
The Matheson Memorial Library wanted to thank area corporate sponsors for their assistance for the Trick or Trivia event held on October 12th. Thank you to Advia Credit Union, Lakeland Bakery, and Leece & Phillips for their support.
Today’s Program - Safe Families for Children
Today Nicole Zorn spoke to the membership about the Safe Families program. This is a program that provides temporary, yet comprehensive, assistance to families that are working through a crisis situation. The goal of Safe Families is to prevent child maltreatment and keep children out of the foster care system by temporarily caring for children. With Safe Families, the organization is working on the front end, hoping to get supports in place so that children are not placed in the foster care program. Without a family or church to support families, many can become overwhelmed by the rigors of day to day life. The intent of Safe Families is to build relationships with the families and the community, as social connectedness impacts job and housing sustainability. Safe Families impacts the community and businesses in a positive way. It enables us to keep our families in our community and students in their home school. At the present time, there are over 40 host families in Walworth County who have served over 200 families in crisis..
There are many roles that we all could play in this program. Some of them include: temporarily caring for children, making meals for the families, hosting play dates, mentoring the adult family members, or assisting families caring for the children in the program. These are all roles that support families and can help the adults find the time and guidance to get back on their feet.
At the present time, our foster care system is in crisis. It is a complex system involving the courts. Often, children are placed in the system for 12 months or longer. On average it costs the state $26,000 a year per child in the system. Most of the children are placed in the foster care system because of neglect. Programs such as Safe Families may possibly keep 70% of these children from entering the system.
Nicole Zorn also stressed that the impact Safe Families is having on the volunteers is enormous as well. It is almost a chain reaction as others in our community are helping the volunteers support the children as well. Area organizations such as APFV, Open Arms, and Community Action are all working to strengthen the collaborative effort. Soon, the Walworth County Food Pantry will be the new location for this organization. Nicole Zorn wrapped up her presentation by reiterating that every little act of service –which is what Rotary and Safe Families is all about – has profound implications in the reach and scope it has in the community.
On November 29
th the Second Annual Gala will be held to raise money for Safe Families for Children. For more information please contact Erin Flynn at 262-427-1244. For more information regarding Safe Families please visit:
www.safefamilieswi.org/donate
