GRG of Brevard
August 2013 GRANDPARENTS RAISING GRANDCHILDREN OF BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA INC.
TARGET TRAINING
UPCOMING EVENTS
YOU are invited:
Back to School The Elks Club continues their support for our organization with back to school assistance. 35 children received backpacks and school supplies with hotdogs and entertainment, GRG also supplied backpacks to an additional 30 children. Special thanks to Elk's coordinator Dawn Maillous. GRG of Brevard will have back to school supplies available at the office if your child is in need of a backpack and/or supplies please contact us at 321-631-7776 with grade/age.
ISSUE # 147
School Registration for Brevard County Public Schools: August 9th -Middle & High Schools August 12th – Elementary thru High Schools Students Report August 14th - School starts for grades 1-12. August 19th – School starts for Kindergarten August 21st – Pre –K begins. For information: http://www.brevard.k12.fl.us/index.h tml
SUMMER PICNIC Our annual children’s summer picnic was a great success. All of the food was wonderful, especially the desserts. The children enjoyed the waterslide, bounce house and new this year kayaks on the river, while the grandparents had fun playing bingo and card games. A special thank you to Coach Don with A Sporting Chance. And a huge thank you to Susan Slaton our new children’s activities coordination for organizing the event this year. [Pick the date] [Edition 1, Volume 1]
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren of Brevard County, FL, Inc. is conducting the semi-annual TARGET training for relative caregivers
Knowledge is power... GRG of Brevard CAN HELP! The course will span one class a week for an eight week period with resources that will assist grandparents and relative caregivers in their endeavor to provide a stable and happy environment for children who have been placed in their care. August 13th – DCF, Protective Investigation Division August 20th – DCF, Economic Self Sufficiency Division August 29th – Children’s Home Society, Devereux, and Brevard Family Partnership September 12th – Early Learning Coalition September 17th – Counseling and Autism September 25th – Legal Issues, Culmer & Davidson September 27th – Counseling Issues The hours are 10:00 to 11:00 am. Please call 321-631-7776 or email grg.brevard@gmail to register.
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Issue 147
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SENIOR COUNSELING If you sometimes feel that your new or continuing job of parenting again causes you concerns and you just want to discuss issues with a professional please call our office for an appointment. Cliff Valentine, LMHC, has volunteered his time each Friday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Each session lasts an hour and is held at our office located at 123 Barton Blvd, Rockledge, FL. Please call 631-7776 to schedule an appointment.
E-NEWSLETTER Are you interested in receiving an online version of our newsletter rather than a printed version? Please send an email to grg.brevard@gmail.com and include your name, email address and mailing address to insure we update your record accordingly! Thank you for helping us save on printing costs so that more of each dollar can benefit children and families.
LET’S MAKE A DEAL When disciplining your grandchildren consider this approach. Jeff Wuorio wrote an article entitled LET’S MAKE A DEAL. It states that the art of negotiation is filled with give and take, but how do you give a little and still come out on top? Each month we will give you a scenario concerning disciplining your grandchildren and give you three choices. See if you make the right one Grandmother is weary of the daily arguments with her two teenager granddaughters. She finds herself constantly haranguing them to put their dinner dishes in the dishwasher and clean their bedrooms. But her dictatorial approach is stressing her out and making them all the more defiant. Should she: (Answer on Page 3) A. Dangle cash incentives. Set up a structure in which the kids are paid for doing designated chores. B. Tell them she wants them to enjoy the things they value, such as cellphones, computers and iPods. But she expects them to pull their weight to keep those privileges. C Tell the kids about self-reliance and how they need to develop it before going away to college and living on their own.
OPERATION S.AF.E. Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater launched Operation S.A.F.E. (Stop Adult Financial Exploitation) as a part of his On Guard for Seniors initiative to help inform and protects seniors about financial scams. As part of the initiative they are offering free workshops to teach seniors how to stop a scam, how a scam works and how to avoid identity theft. The Operation S.A.F.E. workshops are being provided by the Department of Financial Services, which CFO Atwater oversees, along with the Office of Financial Regulations, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. Please share this flier with family, friends, colleagues and other organizations. Tuesday, August 20th @1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. One Senior Place, 8085 Spyglass Hill Road, Viera For more information and to register please visit www.MyFloridaCFO.com/SAFE.
LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR We received a response from our letter to the governor, Rick Scott. He turned it over to DCF’s Regional Managing Director, William D’Aiuto. Mr. A’Aiuto has arranged a meeting for us on August 21 at 11:00 am with Rep. Goodson and other DCF officers in Titusville. Unfortunately they have limited our attendance number so only a few can go. Scarlett Davidson, our attorney, with Culmer and Davidson will be attending with Mary Ann Sterling, GRG Executive Director. Representatives’s. Crisafulli and Workman will also be meeting with us about our concerns.
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YOUTH SERIES
A LESSON IN PERSEVERANCE
Animal Sciences & Vet Tech
One of the greatest human examples of perseverance and persistence is found in the life of Abraham Lincoln. Born into poverty, Abraham Lincoln faced disappointment and defeat throughout his life. He lost eight elections, twice failed in business, and suffered a debilitating nervous disorder. Abraham Lincoln could have given up but didn't. Because he persevered, he is now viewed as the greatest president in the history of our nation....a powerful leader who we hold high for his courage, commitment and ardent dedication to his nation and his God. Advocacy has taught us that every one of us has the potential for making a real difference....if the will to overcome odds is greater than the temptation to quit.
Is your grandchild interested in following a career into the world of animal sciences and veterinary technology? Then here's your chance! Youth will learn about academic requirements, career options, animal behavior, first aid, animal anatomy (dissection,) and gait analysis in a four-seminar series hosted by UF/IFAS Brevard County Extension in conjunction with 4-H and Eastern Florida State College. The series is open to youth in 9th through 12th grade. Classes will be held Aug. 20, Sept. 24, Oct. 8 and Oct. 15 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. There will also be two field trips with dates to be determined. Cost is $15. Register at
http://4hvettechcrew2013eorg.eventbrite.com
BOARD OF DIRECTORS QUARTERLY MEETING
A message from Jack Levine, Founder 4Generations Institute.
August 19th – 12:00 -1:00 pm
The Advocate's Credo: Thou art my child, my parent, and my elder, I love thee best, But could not love thee half as much, Loved I not all the rest.
This meeting will be at the GRG of Brevard Office, 123 Barton Blvd. This meeting is open to all GRG of Brevard members, you are welcome to attend.
CHILD PROTECTION SUMMIT 2013 Scheduled for August 28-30th the Summit is the largest child welfare event in Florida and the Department anticipates over 2,200 child welfare professionals and related partners to attend (attorneys, case managers, child advocates, child protective investigators and supervisors, Child Protection Team staff, child welfare trainers, court staff, DCF staff, foster and adoptive parents, guardians ad litem, judges, juvenile justice professionals, law enforcement professionals, service providers, youth). The Summit is a professional development and training conference offering a variety of workshops and networking opportunities. The Summit furthers the Department's mission to empower frontline staff and effect program improvements. Mary Ann Sterling, Executive Director, Pricilla Livingston, Program Facilitator and Lou Ann Hawes, GRG volunteer will be attending the Florida DCF Child Protection Summit in Orlando again this year. We will keep you informed at upcoming support groups of news and changes that will potentially affect you as a relative caregiver and/or our support programs.
A TIME TO SHARE ~ SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS Thursday, August 8th – Club Esteem Support Group Meeting 3316 Monroe Street, Melbourne 10:00 – 11:30 am. Date change for this month only Tuesday, August 13th – Titusville Support Group Meeting 805 Century Medical Dr, Building B, Titusville. This group is partnered with Parrish Senior Solutions. 10:00 – 11:30 am Date change for this month only Thursday, August 15th – South Brevard Support Group Meeting Memaw’s Restaurant, 4916 Babcock Blvd, Palm Bay 6:00 – 7:30 pm (Dinner is available at member's expense) (This meeting is always the third Thursday of each month) Tuesday, August 20st – Central Brevard Support Group GRG of Brevard Office, 123 Barton Blvd., Rockledge 09:30 – 11:00 am (This meeting is always the third Tuesday of each month) Thursday, August 29th – Beach Side Support Group. Memaw’s Restaurant, Indian Harbour Beach, 9:30 – 11:30 am (Breakfast is available at member's expense) (This meeting is always the last Thursday of each month) Answer B:negotiation focuses on the potential consequences for the kids’ failure to live up to their end of the bargain.)
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GRG of Brevard
HELP THE GRANDPARENTS AND CHILDREN OF GRG OF BREVARD BECOME A MEMBER AND/OR FRIEND Grandparents Raising Grandchildren of Brevard County FL, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation. All gifts are deductible on corporate, foundation and individual tax returns to the extent provided by state and federal laws.
Members of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren of Brevard County, FL, Inc. receive our newsletter and invitations to events where they can meet others in similar situations Name
I am raising children who are not my own I am their: [ ] Grandparent [ ] Aunt / Uncle
Date:
[ ] Sister / Brother
Address:
[ ] Other (please specify) [ ] I am not in this situation but I want to join GRG of Brevard because I am interested in what you do.
City/State: Zip: Phone: Email: [ ] Annual Membership $20
[ ] Annual Corporate Membership $500
I want to be a friend of the GRG of Brevard and enclose an additional donation of: [ ] $25 [ ] $50 [ ] $75 [ ] $100 Other: $
Please make your check payable to: Grandparents Raising Grandchildren of Brevard
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren of Brevard County, FL, Inc. 123 Barton Blvd. Rockledge, FL 32955
Address Label
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