Children can get help at Safe Place(s)

After more than a year of work, the first Safe Place sites in Harrison County will officially open Sunday afternoon.
Marty Cecil, coordinator of the project, said the three EMS stations ‘ Corydon, Elizabeth and New Salisbury ‘ will have opening ceremonies simultaneously at 2 p.m.
‘The EMS staff was very eager to come on board and be Safe Place sites,’ Cecil said.
The National Safe Place was established in 1983 by the YMCA Shelter House in Louisville. Since then, more than 13,760 sites have been opened in 41 states. The sites, which can be spotted by a yellow and black sign depicting an adult hugging a child, provide access to immediate help and supportive resources for all young people in crisis.
Participating businesses and agencies must meet certain qualifications and have trained staff. The program also uses trained volunteers.
Only 10 of Indiana’s 92 counties have Safe Place sites.
Leadership Harrison County’s Class of 2005 selected as its class project the establishment of Safe Place sites here.
‘I’m really excited that I can keep the momentum going that the Leadership Harrison County class started,’ Cecil said.
Many of the members of the LHC class who worked on the project will be at the three EMS stations to see their dream become reality.
Additional sites will be established during the next several weeks.
Sunday’s ceremonies also commemorate the beginning of National Safe Place Week, which runs from March 12 through 18.
Cecil said she is still recruiting volunteers to serve in any of several aspects, including community awareness, emergency transportation volunteers and fund-raising.
Harrison County Safe Place will close the week-long festivities with a roadblock on Saturday, March 18. Persons who help with the roadblock will receive ‘a really cool yellow T-shirt,’ Cecil said.
Anyone interested in helping or learning more about Safe Place should call Cecil at 267-0476.