Archive for Monday, April 6, 2009
Girl Scout troop donates gifts to foster children
Daisy Troop 3557 member Rebecca Cruz, middle, hands her pack of gifts Thursday to RaeAnne Durham, of Moffat County Social Services. The gifts, bought as part of a troop customer service project, will be used for incoming foster children in Moffat County.
April 6, 2009
Daisy Troop 3557, from left, Chantel Chase, Kayla Keith, Rebecca Cruz, LeeAnn Nelson, Emily Gagon, Audrey Hering, Tiana Nichols (Tatum Hinkle not pictured) hold the things they purchased for foster care children in Moffat County.
Eight kindergarten-aged girls walked into the Moffat County Department of Social Services on Thursday with an assortment of bags almost as big as they were.
The bags contained everything from toys to toothpaste, and they were gifts from Daisy Troop 3557 - a Girl Scout troop - to area foster children.
"When we sell cookies, part of what we try and teach the girls is to help other people and work within the community," troop leader Cheryl Chase said.
So, as part of their community service project, each girl was tasked with using $40, which they earned through cookie sales, to buy things for children less fortunate.
"It all started when one day we were all talking about how unique we all are," Chase said.
Chase adopted her daughter, Chantel, a fact which came up in the Daisies' conversation about what they should do for a community service project.
With that in mind, the group decided to purchase items for foster children.
Each Daisy was given an age and gender to buy for.
When out buying the gifts they would donate, the Daisies were told to keep something in mind: what they would like to take with them, if they had to live in a new place.
Chantel was told she was buying for an infant girl, so she bought a rattle.
She also bought a toothbrush and toothpaste and many other items.
She placed them all in a backpack decorated with flowers.
Each girl bought things ranging from fun to practical.
Six-year-old Kayla Keith placed each of her presents, including a pillow, Barbie, book, a little pig and pajamas, into a Barbie backpack.
Troop members handed their gifts to RaeAnne Durham, a social caseworker with Social Services.
Marie Peer, Moffat County Social Services director, said the organization serves foster children from birth to age 18. There currently are between 18 and 22 foster children in Moffat County.
The packs the girls created will be used for incoming foster care children in Moffat County.
Peer said donated gifts to Social Services are very unique.
"They are certainly a special bunch of young ladies," Peer said. "I can't wait until they grow up to see what type of leadership they provide."
More than the community service, the Daisys learned about math, because they weren't allowed to go over their allotted dollar amount, Chase said.
Chase also said they learned to appreciate what their own families have and the things they have that a foster child might not.
"I can remember being in (Girl Scouts) and doing stuff like this, and it's now many years later," Chase said.
"And I want them to remember that they did good, and what they did does make a difference in how they feel about themselves and their community and just as a person. Not everybody is kind, and it really makes my heart feel good that these girls have grasped the concept of helping other people at such a young age."
Advertisement
Advertisement
7 April 2009
at 5:26 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
oregongrannie (Anonymous) says…
It seems that while these nice girl scouts are making 'buddy bags' for the “poor foster children” — an important piece is missing.
Many of these “poor foster chidlren” have nice relatives - loving grandparents - who would gladly care for them — if the state would permit it. i live in Oregon. I am such a grandmother. There are no laws to support me in Oregon. My grandsons have been legally kidnapped and removed from me because I cannot pay a ranson. That the kidnappers are the State Dept. of Human Services - and the ransom is a “big pile of money” to pay a lawyer … is only a sidebar.
imbalance of Federal DHS funding creates corruption
S3038 - was renewed on 9.30.08 —
The Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997, has an attractive title but in reality destroys the lives of children and their families, to the financial benefit of DHS”
foster care funding represents 65% of federal funds dedicated to child welfare purposes, and adoption assistance makes up another 22%.
family reunification funding represent only 11% of federal child welfare program funds.
The major appeal of the title IV-E program has always been that, as an entitlement, funding levels were supposed to adjust automatically to respond to changes in “need,” as represented by State claims. This well intentioned legislation is now out of control out of balance and unstoppable. Children are taken and placed and torn from their families every day.
Department of Human Services is broken. Out of Control.
It is a vehicle plunging down the mountain with no brakes:
Children are referred to as being marketable in the Adoption Market. DHS Workers want to keep their jobs and their good benefits so they “join in”(and shut up) or quit.
Studies have shown that 75% of the children in DHS foster care do not need to be there. (This statistic from Coos Bay OR Social Worker Rich Rigney).
Foster Care and Adoption bring in funding dollars. This is an indisputable fact. Children die in their own homes. Children die in foster homes. Children die in Adoptive homes. These are also facts.
DHS does NOT do a good job they just move the children around. They break up families where the children were not in life threatening situations. And they cash their paychecks. The workers use their subjective, biased opinions as a “reason” and there is no oversight. What goes on in “family court” would shock any nice respectable citizen. It sure shocked me.
No matter what The Agency does they are doing it wrong. The Agency has no oversight. They are like the WWII Gestapo taking children and there is no way to stop them. If someone knows of a way to stop them - please inform me. oregon_grannie@yahoo.com
I am sure the little girl scouts are well intentioned - yet - somehow, I know that MY grandsons would rather have ME - than a nice bag of “stuff.”