Welcome Heart to Heart, McPherson County Child Advocacy Center
Suzee Shugart is at the door of the new Heart to Heart McPherson Child Advocacy Center. Police Officers, Professors, and community volunteers have come together to prepare the Center for its mission working with children who report abuse. Captain Mike Terry of the McPherson Police Department never gave up on the dream of opening a Center in McPherson County. That dream is now quickly turning into reality.
Suzee has put a wish list together to help provide the center with needed supplies. If you are able to help with any of these items, please contact Suzee at the Center, 306 S. Main, 245-0048 or if no answer, please contact the main office at 316-284-6029
Cleaning supplies, hand soap, toilet paper, paper towels, smoke detectors for all the rooms, coffee table, toy box, toys, chairs, locking file cabinet, stools, curtains, mini-fridge, CD player, pencil sharpener,
Community members of McPherson have been coming together to bring the Heart to Heart McPherson Child Advocacy Center a reality. With a lease signed on the building at 306 S Main, clean up and remodeling quickly took place. The interview room is being painted in a fish motif. Children will find the room warm and friendly. New counter tops have been put in place by Suzie's husband. Captain Terry is in the process of setting up the recording equipment and observation room. Detective Mark Brinck and his son have done some landscaping and remodeling inside the building. Other community members have come forward giving there time to bring the Center to life. Task force meetings are taking place and there is an excitement in the air bringing this Center on line. All of the people of McPherson should be proud of their efforts and time spent bringing this great resource to McPherson County for the sake of helping children.One of my good friends used to say that if you're falling from a high building then you want as many people as possible at the bottom holding the net. It's not helpful to look down and see every agency standing there, smugly holding its own net. If nothing else about the Child Advocacy Center model got my attention, this would: Team. I believe that there is no better way to serve our community, than to do it as, well, a community. So here we are, Heart to Heart McPherson County Child Advocacy Center, helping to bring together all of these amazing people and giving them the space and the resources to serve each child better. I'm proud to be a part of this mostly because it's not about me, it's about the kids and about the incredible men and women that are coming together to give these kids a softer place to land.
McPherson County will be joining the Heart to Heart team.
Plans are being made to include McPherson County with the Heart to Heart Child Advocacy Center. Three members from McPherson County will be placed on the Heart to Heart Board of Directors. Marlene will be looking for grants that may help support the additional work load. It is expected that McPherson County may, in fact, add another 100 interviews to the Center. Eventually, we would like to see an office placed in McPherson County to reduce the travel time for Investigators and child victims. A grant from the Kansas Bar Association was applied for by Lt. Walton in November of 2006. That grant was received in a special presentation in Topeka on May 3rd with Director of Heart to Heart, Marlene Beeson. The grant was written to supply McPherson County with the recording equipment needed in interviews with child victims.
McPherson now has a signed Lease for an office space.
Marlene has signed a lease agreement so that Heart to Heart may begin to operate in McPherson County. The Office will be located at 306 S. Main in McPherson. This is a big step for Heart to Heart and for the fine folks of McPherson County. There is work that has to be done to get the Office ready for an opening day. There is paintng to be done, remodeling, and installation of recording equipment. As the McPherson Center grows, we will keep you informed of the progress. If you would like to help with the development of the Center please contact Marleene, or Suzee Shugart. We are all proud of the folks who have worked so hard to get Heart to Heart started in McPherson.
Amy Boydston of the Kansas State Child Advocacy Center visited the Heart to Heart McPherson Center. She met with a Task Force consisting of: Heart to heart Director, Marlene Beeson, McPherson Family Advocate, Suzee Shugart, McPherson PD Chief Dennis Shaw, McPherson PD Captain Mike Terry, McPherson Detective Mark Brinck, Lindsberg Chief Tim Berggren, Galva PD Staci Curl, Harold Murphy SRS, Betty Laney SADVC, Angela Devore MFLC, Assistant McPherson CA Gary Price and Attorney David Page. Amy was impressed with the growth the Center has made. Heart to Heart of McPherson is very close to opening the center and beginning to interview children.
Karen Walton was in McPherson the Week of November 7th, looking for funding sources to maintain the daily operation of Heart to Heart McPherson Child Advocacy Center. She met a lot of good folks, but unfortunately did not secure any additional funding. She will be back in McPherson the week of November 13th and will continue to seek donations, contributions or vending machine placements. Karen is well aware of the importance Heart to Heart of McPherson will play in the lives of families whose children may have been victims of abuse.
Please consider a donation to the Heart to Heart, McPherson Child Advocacy Center.
Karen made a second trip to McPherson seeking funding to support the Heart to Heart McPherson Child Advocacy Center the week of November 13th. She was able to secure the locations for the Heart to Heart donation boxes at both of the Subway restaurants. She brought literature to various business's of what Heart to Heart is and what Heart to Heart does. We are hoping that as the community sees how valuable Heart to heart is, they will begin to support the program with donations and funding. It is always difficult for a new program to obtain funding, but Heart to Heart is persistent as is Karen and her desire to see Heart to Heart McPherson Child Advocacy Center succeed. Karen will be back in McPherson on the week of November 22nd. All of us from Heart to heart encourage you to help the Center when Karen vists you.
The McPherson Wal-Mart store made a donation of $750.00 to the Center. The money was used to purchase a computer and other equipment for the Center. Thank you Wal-Mart of McPherson for helping the children of the community.
THANKS McPHERSON COUNTY
Heart to Heart wants to thank those who have contributed to the McPherson office. We appreciate all you have done for Heart to Heart and the children of McPherson County.
Sherwin Williams (paint)
McPherson Area Contractor's Association (hot water heater and labor to install)
Hospira (monetary donation)
Kenney Photography (decorative photos and frames)
A number of individuals have donated their time to get the center up and running. Our heartfelt thanks go to:
Shane and Janie Dawson, Sylvia and Robert Wolcott, Brent Shugart, Mike Terry, Mark Brinck, Carla and Clinton Terry, Betty Laney, Janie and Cullen Crosthwaite, Merrill McHenry, and Leroy and Phyllis Sugart
Vending machines have been a good way to raise revenue for Heart to Heart. If you have a business where a vending machine can be placed, please contact Heart to Heart. Heart to Heart vending places the machines, maintains the machines and fills the machines. With a new office in the City of McPherson, we would like to be able to place some machines to help the operations of the Heart to Heart office of McPherson. We have candy, gum balls, stickers, and toy capusles. We will place your business on our web page and place your business in our quarterly newsletter. The profits from these machines goes directly to Heart to Heart. We have two locations in McPherson county, one at Mary's BP station in the city of McPherson and one at the Texaco station in Moundridge. If you would like to help Heart to Heart with the vending fund raising program, please contact Karen Walton at 319-772-2140 or Suzze Shugart at the McPherson Office or just simply email us from the home page. Help us help the children.POSITIVE FAMILY COMMUNICATION PHRASES THAT PRAISE
Parents who talk positively with their children, create a healthy environment that encourages emotional development and family security.
Speaking- Take the time to explain yourself fully. Do not yell or criticize. Speak with respect and kindness.
Listening- Pay attention to your child's words. Let your child know you are truly interested.
Reacting- Show enthusiasm. Be responsive to your child by praising them for a job well done or for good effort.
ACTION PLAN FOR POSITIVE PARENT-CHILD COMMUNICATION
Subway Restaurants of McPherson are supporting the Heart to heart McPherson Child Advocacy Center. Owners, Rottinghaus Inc., believe in the Heart to Heart program and have allowed Heart to Heart to set up donation boxes in both of the subway stores in McPherson. When you are at Subway, please drop some change in the donation box. Your change makes a big change in the way child abuse is addressed.If your business would like to become a part of the donation box fund raiser for Heart to Heart, please contact Karen Walton at 772-2140 or Suzee Shugart at the McPherson Center. We will place your name in our web page and in our quarterly newsletter. What a great way to support Heart to Heart and show how your business is helping the children of the community.
316-284-6029