Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/15933
Guardian Ad Litem Volunteers Needed as Voice for Children Judge. There are currently 102 volunteers assigned to serve 556 children in Cumberland County, and 99 children are still awaiting a volunteer to help serve as a voice for them in court. “Our program is almost entirely made up of volunteers who serve as advocates for the children in court. As a result of a growing number of children placed in DSS custody, we are in need of more volunteers,” says Kristie Kelley, the program’s volunteer recruiter who was hired through a Court Appointed Special Advocates grant. C In order to become a volunteer, individuals must submit an application, pass a criminal background check and complete 30 hours of training. Training can be completed either through group classes or independent study. After completing Volunteers conduct independent investigations into the circumstances that brought the child into DSS custody. This can be done by speaking with their assigned child, their parents, teachers, and service providers such as counselors assist family court judges in making decisions for the family. consecutive Tuesday nights from 6 to 9 p.m. The classes are held at the OMNI Family Resource Center, 351 Wagoner Dr. in Fayetteville. Interested individuals Commissioners, Mental Health Program Honored Carolina Association of County Commissioners at the group’s annual conference Aug. 26-29 in Greenville. Kenneth Edge, the vice chairman of the commissioners, served as a commissioner since 2000, was elected the District 6 Director. District 6 includes Cumberland, Harnett and Sampson Counties. The association also recognized Chairman Billy R. King with a Long-Time County Service Award in honor of his more than 20 years as a commissioner, and Cumberland County Mental Health Director Hank Debnam accepted a $1,000 Local Government Federal Credit Union Employee Productivity Award on behalf of the center’s Crisis Intervention Team jail diversion program. umberland County’s Guardian ad Litem volunteers advocate for children who have been abused or neglected and are placed in the Department of Social Services custody by a Cumberland County Grants Available for Farmers USA is offering cost-share grants of up to $10,000 for individual farmers and up to $30,000 for groups to assist with the development of on-farm and community demonstrations of innovative ways to replace lost tobacco income. The Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund provides cost-share support for farmers to try new production, marketing, and processing strategies in order to earn more income on the farm. A “How-to-apply workshop” is scheduled for Sept. 13 at 6 p.m. in the workshop, contact Peggy Elliott at 910-321-6872. All farmers who make an income from agriculture in the central piedmont counties are eligible to apply. Deadline for applications is Nov. 19. The application process is competitive. High priority will be given to innovative projects which show farmers a new direction or opportunity. For more information and application materials, contact: Julius Tillery, RAFI- T hrough its Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund, the Rural Advancement Foundation International- The Cumberland County Board of Elections is conducting voter registration drives in the county’s public high schools in September. Registration is open to students who are 18 years old or who will be 18 by the Nov. 2 general election. Pre-Registration is open to students who are 16 or 17, but who will not be 18 by Nov. 2. For more information, contact the Board of Elections at 678-7733. Voter registration drives are scheduled at the following high schools: WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM SEPTEMBER 8-14, 2010 UCW 47