Southwestern Illinois Chapter
American Red Cross
1639 Main Street
Alton, IL 62002
618-465-7704 FAX 618-465-7705
e-mail Rsummers@redcrossstl.org
TODAY’S
DATE: 12-01-09 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
Robin Summers
Red Cross Receives Special Grant In Support
Of Military Families
The
American Red Cross Southwestern Illinois Chapter’s Jersey County Service Center
will be
holdinga
Babysitters Training course this month to offer a free class to children of
active duty men
and
women serving in the US Armed Forces, Reserves, National Guard, and the Department
of
Defense.
The
Southwestern Illinois Chapter applied for and received a special grant to
offer free scholarships
to
25 children in the 4 county area it serves. “We’re excited to offer this opportunity
to our Military
Families
in Jersey and Calhoun County, Robin Summers, Executive Director for the chapter
said,
“our
military families are just like any other family with two parents working,
and the older children
watching
their younger siblings after school or on the weekends. This program is a
perfect fit and
just
one more way the local American Red Cross is able to support the families
of our troops while
they
are deployed.”
The
Babysitters Training course will be held Wednesday, December 30th
from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
at
the Jersey County Service Center located at 301 A West Exchange in Jerseyville.
Any children
of
military families ages 11 to 15 years of age are eligible to participate in
the class for free. Parents
may
call the Service Center at 618-498-1809 to register their son or daughter
for the class.
The
Babysitters Training course is taught by the chapter’s AmeriCorps volunteer
Dawn Determan.
Each
student receives a Babysitter’s Training Handbook and an Emergency Reference
Guide. All get
practice
in feeding and diapering a baby manikin , learn how to respond in an emergency
and
provide
first aid. “Equally important they’re taught skills to make good decisions,
to be a good
role
model and leader, to write a resume
and interview for a job to further allow them additional
opportunities
outside their home if they wish,” Determan added.