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April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

by: admin - March 15th, 2013 Filed under: News

kp-795f April is Child Abuse Prevention Month please join us by

STANDING UP FOR CHILDREN

Children deserve to be cherished and they thrive when adults care. They depend on adults for their safety. Unfortunately many children are abused by those adults in their lives who they should be able to trust. More than 90% of children are abused by someone they know, including family members or friends.

Most children never report being abused. They are often threatened or pressured to stay silent. We ask you as adults to be watchful for signs of abuse and always take it seriously when children speak of being abused. Report suspected child abuse to the police, or your child protective service agency. Children are our future and protecting them is everyone’s job. Every child matters.

There’s No Excuse For Child Abuse

CARES Becomes an Associate/Developing Member of National Children’s Alliance

by: admin - December 4th, 2012 Filed under: Announcements, News

From our acceptance letter:

On behalf of National Children’s Alliance, I would like to welcome your program as an Associate/Developing Member of our organization. We are pleased to see that your community has made the commitment to work together on behalf of abused and neglected children and is dedicated to the Children’s Advocacy Center model. Your willingness and ability to implement this model establishes you as leaders in this growing movement.

National Children’s Alliance is a professional membership organization dedicated to helping local communities respond to allegations of child abuse in ways that are effective and efficient – and put the needs of child victims first. National Children’s Alliance provides training, support, technical assistance and leadership on a national level to local children’s and child advocacy centers and communities responding to reports of child abuse and neglect.

CARES Recieves President’s Cup Award

by: admin - November 22nd, 2012 Filed under: Announcements

CARES is awarded the Presidents Cup Award

Photo courtesy of Natalie Bruzda from the Punxsutawney Spirit

On April 11, 2012, The Brookville Area Chamber of Commerce presented the President’s Cup Award to Western PA CARES for Kids!

Pictured on the right is BACC President, Randy Bartley presenting the award to CARES Executive Director, Pat Berger and CARES President, Jefferson County District Attorney Jeff Burkett.

Since 1972, the President’s Cup is awarded yearly to a local organization “in recognition of substantial and meaningful contributions to the community”.

Western PA CARES for Kids also recieved citations from PA State Representative Sam Smith, U.S. Representative Glen ‘GT’ Thompson and U.S. Senator Joe Scarnati.

Left to Right: Vice President Dan Brownlee, Secretary Debbie Brownlee, Treasurer Judy Greeley, Nancy Rhodes, Executive Director Pat Berger, Jim Rhodes and President Jeff Burkett

Stoltz Family Dealership Donates to CARES

by: admin - November 13th, 2012 Filed under: Donations, News

The Stoltz Family Dealerships gave away $26,000 to 26 local charities in the communities they serve as their way of saying thanks for 26 years of business. Western PA Cares for Kids Director, Pat Burger, received the donation from Todd and Rebecca Stoltz on November 5th, 2012.

Friends of Western PA CARES for Kids Joins the Combined Federal Campaign

by: admin - September 20th, 2012 Filed under: Announcements, Donations, Fundraisers, News

Friends of Western PA CARES for Kids
CFC #47294

Friends of Western PA CARES for Kids is proud to announce that we have been selected to be a part of the 2012 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). The U.S. government-sponsored CFC is the world’s largest and most prestigious workplace fundraising drive. The mission of the CFC is to promote and support philanthropy by providing federal employees with an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those in need.

Each fall, Federal employees are invited to support eligible national and local charities. Employees choose the groups they wish to support from a list of approved charities that have met the U.S. federal government’s high standards of program impact and financial accountability. The 2012 CFC official campaign season runs from October 1st through December 1st.

Through the CFC, federal employees have raised over $7 billion since 1961 to help sustain community, state, national and international health, educational, environmental and human services.
Many of you ask how you can help support Friends of Western PA CARES for Kids’ mission, and this is an easy way to make a big difference! If you are employed by the Federal government, please consider giving to Friends of Western PA CARES for Kids through the CFC.

If you have friends or relatives who are Federal civilian, military or postal employees, please encourage them to choose Friends of Western PA CARES for Kids. It’s simple; just select Friends of Western PA CARES for Kids / CFC #47294 for the CFC contribution.

Thank you!

PA State Employees Can Donate to CARES Through the 2012 PA SECA Campaign

by: admin - August 27th, 2012 Filed under: Announcements, Fundraisers

Friends of Western PA CARES for Kids
#8000-0231

We are now listed under Independent Charities of America’s umbrella and listed as Friends of Western PA CARES for Kids. Our number is 8000-0231.

The State Employee Combined Appeal (SECA) is the commonwealth’s annual combined charitable giving campaign for employees.

During the months of September through November, employees may donate to any of hundreds of participating non-profit charities.

Find out more about the SECA campaign.

2012 Duathlon, 5K and Community Walk

by: admin - August 6th, 2012 Filed under: Fundraisers

The weather had been extremely hot before race day but we were pleasantly surprised with an overcast day and a good day for racing. There were 119 pre-registered participants and approximately 40 more registered on the day of race. Participants ranged in ages from 3 years old to 60 years old. Yes I said 3 years old. It was his first event. His mom ran the first 3.1 miles, his dad biked the 12 miles and then mom ran beside him as he ran the 2 miles of the last leg of the duathlon. The duathlon began at 9:00 and the 5K at 10:00. An awards ceremony followed the competition with plaques and prizes for top winners. All children 15 years old and under received ribbons and medals for their participation in the day’s events.

Participants who brought donations to help Western PA CARES for Kids Child Advocacy Center, a nonprofit agency working to stop child abuse one child at a time, were eligible for prizes provided by our generous corporate and gold sponsors. Those who brought $75.00 or more were eligible for grand prizes and those with less than $75.00 were eligible for door prizes. Many participants worked hard to bring in large donations. Our top donation was $2,855.00 brought in by Julie Wolfe and the next largest amount was $960.00 brought in by Jill Stephens. We are extremely grateful to all of our participants, volunteers, gold sponsors and corporate sponsors for a very successful event. Finish times are available at http://www.smileymiles.com.

Thank you all for making our event a tremendous success. Over $20,000.00 was raised to help us continue to lessen the trauma children who are abused experience through a coordinated child friendly approach.

Mark your calendars for next year. Our race event is the third Saturday in July at station 2 at Cook Forest State Park.

Hope to see you all next year!

Pat Berger
Executive Director/Forensic Interviewer

Photos

Race photos and order form.

Results

5k Results
Duathlon Individual Results
Duathlon Team Results

2012 Super Special Sponsors

Brownlee Lumber
First Baptist Church DuBois
Forsyth Drilling Inc.
Jeffrey D. Burkett
John Prushnok

Kelly Chrysler Jeep Dodge
Macbeth’s Cabins
Sarvey Insurance
Shiloh Resort
William & Debbie Bailey

Marion Center Bank Punxsutawney
Matson Insurance Company
Primary Care Associates
Ron Berger
Rosebud Mining
S&T Bank Brookville
Seneca Resources
Store All
The Forest Nook
The Taylor Law Firm
Tuning Accounting
Whiteman Transportation
William & Carol Hawthorne
Williams Sanitation
Zion Baptist Church
Hammer Nutrition
Road ID

Marti’s Hair Fashions
Mike’s Super Market
Paul Beatty Jewelers
Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Steelers
Plylers Restaurant
Punxsutawney React
Punxsutawney Wal-Mart
Rich Martin
Rick and Cheryl Rowles
Roseville Independent Chapel
Sue Gomola
The Fraternal Order of Eagle #983 Auxiliary
The Pale Whale
United Electric
Wampum Hardware Co.

CARES receives Leadership Conference Scholarship

by: admin - June 11th, 2012 Filed under: Fundraisers

Western PA CARES for Kids Child Advocacy Center was one of two Child Advocacy Centers in Pennsylvania to receive a $1,000.00 scholarship from the National Childrens’ Alliance to attend the 2012 Leadership Conference in Washington D.C. There are 750 child advocacy centers across the nation and we were honored to receive this scholarship and training opportunity.

2011 Brookville Y & CARES for Kids Duathlon and 5K and Community Walk

by: admin - February 4th, 2011 Filed under: Events, Fundraisers

It was a terrific day! The weather was fantastic and the competitors began arriving about 8:30. One hundred and eight people participated in our annual 5k, Duathlon, and Community Walk. Seventy nine people choose to pre-register for our event through the Brookville YMCA and using our registration form and waiver provided on this website. The duathlon began at 10:00 and the 5k and community walk began at 11:00. An awards ceremony followed the competition with plaques and prizes such as Red Lobster gift certificates, Road Id certificates and Forest Nook Pizza coupons going to first – third places in the Duathlon and 5k for female, male and teams. All children ages 15 and under received a medal for their efforts in the day’s events. Children who participated in the community walk received participation ribbons and certificates for ice cream cones.

Many of our Corporate Sponsors donated funds or prizes used for Grand prize and door prize drawings. In order to be eligible for one of these drawings, participants brought donations to the race. Those who brought donations of more than $50.00 were eligible for the grant prize drawings. We had two individuals that went over and above in collecting donations. Our top donation was $1,000.00 collected by Carol Ponce a criminal investigator for the PA State Police. The next largest donation came from Jill Stephens with a donation of $500.00. We are very grateful for the support of all of our participants, volunteers and sponsors. Photos of the participants are available at http://www.lyndamariephotos.com. Finish times are available at http://www.smileymiles.com.

Everyone also enjoyed the free lunch that followed the day’s event. We look forward to next year’s event. It will be held the third Saturday in July and will be the same course, meeting at shelter 2 Cook Forest State Park.

Thank you all for making our event a tremendous success. Nearly, $11,000.00 was raised to help us continue to lessen the trauma children who are abused experience through a child friendly approach.

Hope to see you next year!

Pat Berger

Executive Director/Forensic Interviewer

Mama Doe’s /Shiloh Resort
Plylers At Your Service
Primary Care Associates of Western PA
Rosebud Mining Co.
Ron Berger
Sarvey Notary Services
S&T Bank
Store All
The Forest Nook
Tuning Accounting
Williams Sanitation
Zion of Jefferson County
Hammer Nutrition
Road ID