Dear sir:
I am writing to inform you and the public that I will be resigning as chairperson from the Fort Frances “Block Parent” program, and that the program will be closing as of April 30 due to lack of interest and support within the community.
When I became chairperson in 1998, I had hoped the program would be able to continue on as strong as it did when it was first implemented in the community in the early 1990s, but this simply was not the case.
The program has been dwindling in membership, and there have been very few people interested in becoming new “Block Parents” to replace them.
It always has been the policy of all community “Block Parent” programs to re-screen and renew their “Block Parents” over a minimal period of two years. This policy was put in place to ensure the safety of children using the “Block Parent” homes in the event of danger or crisis.
I have found this process has not been very successful—even though this is a free service offered by our local police services. The number of applications that are returned back to the program, for re-screening, only has been a handful year after year.
Anyone who has not returned their application for re-screening cannot be considered an approved “Block Parent,” therefore causing the membership to decline from 173 homes in 1998 to roughly a dozen or so in 2002.
In a community with an approximate population of 8,500, this just does not provide an effective safety network for the children in the community. It would be pointless to educate children to seek out a “Block Parent” home for refuge if there aren’t any.
I am asking that anyone in possession of a window sign to contact me so that I may begin the collection of them immediately. Once the program no longer exists within the community, the use of these signs will be considered illegal as they are the property of the program and must be returned upon demand or closure.
In closing, I would like to thank the many citizens who, over the years, have been involved with the “Block Parent” program in some form or another, whether it has been serving on the executive committees, being a “Block Parent,” or the individuals at Public Works who installed the street signs at the ports of entry to the community and the various schools in Fort Frances.
Your efforts made it possible for the program to continue to this point.
I also would like to thank the police service and staff who always have supported the program and always have readily provided the means and methods of screening applications without hesitation and free of charge, and I must commend them for doing so.
It is unfortunate that this program is in the situation that it is in, but I trust that even though the program no longer will exist in Fort Frances, its purpose and principles will continue.
I feel the citizens of the community always will be on the alert for children in trouble, suspicious behaviour, and suspicious individuals; and I believe that most will lend a hand to anyone in need of help or assistance in times of crisis or unexpected situations.
Sincerely,
Sandra Whalen,
Chairperson,
F.F. Block
Parent Assoc.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
