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Lucas County Children Services (LCCS) will offer a series of free training classes for prospective foster or adoptive parents in June.
The accelerated training session will be offered on six consecutive weekdays from June 21-28. The all-day (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) classes will cover two topics each day.
To register for the classes, which are required for anyone seeking to become a foster or adoptive parent, call 419-213-3336 or visit www.lucaskids.net. Additional training sessions will be offered in September and October.
The agency is currently seeking adults and families who can provide loving and stable homes for youths with behavioral, developmental or physical challenges and groups of three or more brothers and sisters.
Foster or adoptive parents:
• Must be at least 18 years of age to adopt and 21 to become a foster parent
• Can be married or single
• Can own or rent their homes
• Can work outside the home
• Don’t have to earn a lot of money, just enough to support themselves
• Need a safety inspection for their homes
• Must agree to a background check
• Receive free training
• Receive financial support, based on your child’s needs.
Cancer support for kids
ProMedica Cancer Institute (PCI) is offering two free programs for children who have someone special in their lives dealing with cancer.
CHAMPS (Choosing Hope and Moving Past Sadness) is a three-day camp for children ages 6 and older who have a parent, sibling or close relative/friend diagnosed with cancer. It will be held June 22-24, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. James Club, located at 7337 W. Bancroft in Toledo. The camp will offer swimming, arts and crafts and other activities led by licensed healthcare professionals who teach techniques to help participants understand their circumstances and learn how to support their loved one who is living with cancer.
The Next Step is a one-session, three-hour abbreviated form of CHAMPS, which will be held at Hickman Cancer Center at Flower Hospital in Sylvania Sept. 18 from 9 a.m. to noon and Nov. 9 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Pre-registration is required.
“The goal of our programs is to provide a caring and nurturing environment where kids feel safe and comfortable communicating about how cancer is impacting their family,” says Patti Kaiser, RN, PCI oncology outreach coordinator. “We also strive to provide a fun outlet for them and have plenty of volunteers of all ages, including some former attendees, who return each year to participate.”
For more information about other PCI support programs for cancer patients and their families, visit www.promedica.org. To register for CHAMPS or The Next Step, call 877-291-1441.
24/7 dads
Fathers in the NW Ohio area who are interested in connecting with their children can find help at WSOS.
Very Important Padre (VIP), an Ohio Fatherhood Initiative, assists fathers and their children in building strong, positive relationships. The program will work with married, unmarried, non-custodial and co-habitating fathers. “This is a great program that will help fathers improve their relationships with their children,” said Jacquie Wells, Family Development Director at WSOS.
The program uses parenting education activities as well as Responsible Fathering classes to help men be 24/7 dads. Fathers also receive case management and participate in family literacy activities and fun events as well as opportunities to volunteer in the community. They are referred to other community organizations to meet needs they may have that WSOS cannot fulfill. Many of the activities offer incentives and supportive services to further increase father-child time together with the aim of nurturing healthy relationships.
The program is funded through the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and the Governor’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. WSOS partners with other community action agencies in Wood, Sandusky, Ottawa, Lucas and other counties.
For more information or to join the program, residents in Wood, Sandusky, and Ottawa counties should call Stephanie Fischer at 1-800-775-9767 or 419-334-8911. Those in Lucas County should call Eric Slack at 419-242-7304 ext 1402.
Summerfest set
The Luckey Business Association will host the third annual Summerfest May 22 on Main Street in downtown Luckey.
Festivities will begin at 10 a.m. and continue until the last band ends, at approximately 9 p.m. This year’s event has been expanded to include a lineup of three local bands – the Sofa King Loud Band, The Swamp Kings and Rizzo, who will entertain the crowd beginning at noon.
The festival will also include the Heidelberg Distributors Beer Garden, food and craft vendors, a kids’ zone hosted by The Loft, a 5K run and community-wide garage sales.
Registration for the 5K run, which is sponsored by the Fort Meigs Sertoma Club, will begin at 10 a.m. in the lot next to the Troy Township Fire Station.
Eye exams, hearing evaluations
To promote healthy vision and hearing and raise cataracts awareness, OptiVue is offering free eye exams and hearing evaluations for seniors age 60 and older from May 17 through May 28.
Cataracts and hearing loss are often a part of the aging process. More than 20 million Americans have cataracts, and the major symptom is a progressive, painless loss of vision. Twenty-eight million Americans suffer from hearing loss.
To schedule an appointment for a complimentary exam, call 419-693-4444, or 800-642-2261.
Stewards of Children
Protecting children from sexual abuse is the responsibility of adults. That’s why the national organization Darkness to Light has created a curriculum that teaches adults to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse.
“Stewards of Children: Adults Resolving Child Sexual Abuse in Community” will be offered May 24 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Simpson Building, 1291 Conneaut Ave., Bowling Green.
The training is appropriate for parents, teachers, counselors, medical personnel, coaches, clergy, childcare providers and all those who care about children’s safety and welfare.
During the three-hour session, participants will hear stories from survivors of child sexual abuse about their victimization and healing and learn “The Seven Steps to Protecting Our Children,” Darkness to Light’s core education tool for sexual abuse prevention.
The training is offered free of charge, but because class space is limited those interested should register promptly. Counselors, social workers and nurses are eligible for three Continuing Education Units upon completing the workshop.
For more information or to register, call JoAnne Carson at 419-292-2927, ext. 306.
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