By Annie Rowe

SDN Staff Writer

This time of year, the thoughts of most Scurry County children are turning to the warming weather, the end of school or perhaps a summer sport.

However, there are children in the county whose thoughts are not on fun and games, but instead are forced to deal with the fear of child abuse.

Tri-County Children’s Advocacy Center, based in Sweetwater, provides services for citizens of Scurry County in addition to Nolan, Mitchell and Fisher counties. Angie Alvarez is the center’s executive director who has the responsibility of making sure that the services are made available to Scurry County citizens on a regular basis.

The Tri-County Children’s Advocacy Center arranges counseling and education for children and parents.

The center is currently working on the possibility of establishing a satellite office in Snyder to serve local clients.

“Kids are served in Snyder when the visit is justified. The majority would need follow-up through counseling if the case goes through the judicial system. Once a week, counselors will go to Snyder for a meeting with a client or for a follow-up appointment and providing a place where counselors and clients can meet in private has become a challenge,” said Alvarez.

The necessity of an office is not only for the counseling service provided by Tri-County Advocacy, it also would serve as a base for teaching services by providing education agendas for kindergarten through fifth grade that allows children training in ways to protect themselves from abuse.

“We provide age-appropriate education that focuses on personal safety rules,” said Alvarez.

One of the educational programs offered is the High Sky teaching model that assists in teaching families how to be more self-sufficient.

District attorney Dana Cooley has worked with the organization in the past.

“The advocacy center’s staff always assists law enforcement, and my office, whenever needed. They are well-trained professionals providing valuable assistance to us and the children they serve,” she said.

Although the opening of an office in Snyder is still in the planning stages, Alvarez said that the advocacy center could utilize volunteer help from citizens at any time.

“We can always use the help of volunteers,” she said. “Once the Snyder office is in place, assistance from volunteers will be more helpful than ever. The time that someone chooses to donate can help in so many ways. Everything from answering phones to helping in the office when a counselor is seeing a client.”

Alvarez soon will be visiting Snyder to being the search for possible locations to house the office. She stated that the organization could possibly accept donated office space from a business owner should it be available.

“We would certainly be grateful to someone who would be willing to donate space.”

Alvarez recently appeared before Snyder city council to present a request April be proclaimed Child Abuse Awareness Month.