Thanksgiving in March
Over six years ago I was able to travel to Northern California to attend a conference on Drug Endangered Children. These are children who are found living in homes, hotel rooms and other hidden places where the adults are cooking “Meth”.
I found out that California and several other states had established special rapid response units designed to pick-up the children and get them the needed medical, psychological and personal care directly from the Meth Lab. At the time most of these units had a price tag near $250,000 per year. All were tax supported.
Arkansas, which is number one per capita and number six in total numbers of labs seized in the nation had no program or DEC units. Further, during these six years of wanting to do something to help these children, our state government has expanded at the greatest pace in the state’s history and taxes have reached an all time high while services to children and families have been reduced dramatically. We soon realized this was a luxury the state felt it could do without. Our Board and supporters disagreed.
In our small county of 26,000 people we have had 43 labs siezed since January of 2004. It was, in our opinion, unacceptable that there was no care for these children even though the law clearly states it is a crime in Arkansas to have children in these toxic waste dumps.
Last year we were able to assemble the needed partners to put into service a modified version of the DEC system using our 10 year old mini-van from our Children’s Advocacy Center. Not really equipped to handle the rural roads where most of these labs are hidden, none the less we had a real system. This included St. John’s Hospital, the Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Human Services – Division of Children and Family Services and “Grandma’s House” our Children’s Advocacy Center. The weak link was transportation. Adding to the problem was the request to assist in Madison County, which added another 837 square miles and 14,000 people to the 639 square miles of rural mountains we were already covering.
About a month ago U.S. Congressman John Boozman dropped by our “Center” just to visit and look around. He saw what we were trying to do and our need for a suitable vehicle. Without us knowing, he contacted Wal-Mart and together last Friday they brought us $25,000 to purchase our own DEC Unit. A 2004 Dodge Durango 4X4 which is now being modified for service as Arkansas’ first and only DEC Rapid Response Unit.
Our dream is a reality and our prayers were answered. Now we are able to offer the best Arkansas has to protect these innocent victims, and not one tax dollar invested. Truly a day of Thanksgiving for our children and our Children's Advocacy Center. We are grateful.
I found out that California and several other states had established special rapid response units designed to pick-up the children and get them the needed medical, psychological and personal care directly from the Meth Lab. At the time most of these units had a price tag near $250,000 per year. All were tax supported.
Arkansas, which is number one per capita and number six in total numbers of labs seized in the nation had no program or DEC units. Further, during these six years of wanting to do something to help these children, our state government has expanded at the greatest pace in the state’s history and taxes have reached an all time high while services to children and families have been reduced dramatically. We soon realized this was a luxury the state felt it could do without. Our Board and supporters disagreed.
In our small county of 26,000 people we have had 43 labs siezed since January of 2004. It was, in our opinion, unacceptable that there was no care for these children even though the law clearly states it is a crime in Arkansas to have children in these toxic waste dumps.
Last year we were able to assemble the needed partners to put into service a modified version of the DEC system using our 10 year old mini-van from our Children’s Advocacy Center. Not really equipped to handle the rural roads where most of these labs are hidden, none the less we had a real system. This included St. John’s Hospital, the Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Human Services – Division of Children and Family Services and “Grandma’s House” our Children’s Advocacy Center. The weak link was transportation. Adding to the problem was the request to assist in Madison County, which added another 837 square miles and 14,000 people to the 639 square miles of rural mountains we were already covering.
About a month ago U.S. Congressman John Boozman dropped by our “Center” just to visit and look around. He saw what we were trying to do and our need for a suitable vehicle. Without us knowing, he contacted Wal-Mart and together last Friday they brought us $25,000 to purchase our own DEC Unit. A 2004 Dodge Durango 4X4 which is now being modified for service as Arkansas’ first and only DEC Rapid Response Unit.
Our dream is a reality and our prayers were answered. Now we are able to offer the best Arkansas has to protect these innocent victims, and not one tax dollar invested. Truly a day of Thanksgiving for our children and our Children's Advocacy Center. We are grateful.
posted by The Merlin Foundation | 2:49 PM
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