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Camp Lake James Hosts 3rd Annual School's Out Celebration!
On Friday, June 8th the children from Southmountain Estates enjoyed the annual School's Out Celebration held at Camp Lake James. Camp Lake James staff and members from 1780 and the Old Wildlife Club sponsored a fun afternoon of activities and lunch for the children, professional parents and staff. The pool was full of laughter and the beach at the lake was buzzing with kayaking, swimming and paddle boarding.
While Camp Lake James staff and member volunteers engaged and supervised the children, professional parents and staff were treated to a much deserved "time out" to relax and enjoy conversation. One of the volunteers who has been actively involved with the Friends of Southmountain (volunteers from 1780 and the Old Wildlife Club) since its inception three years ago, commented on how encouraged he was to see the comfort level that has grown between the children, parents, and staff of Southmountain and the 1780/Old Wildlife Club Community. This relationship has grown into a true community.
Southmountain Receives Grant from Marion Business Association
In April 2019, Southmountain Children and Family Services received the good news that a grant to the Marion Business Association has been approved. The grant for $3,280 will be used to paint the exterior of the building that now houses Lily’s Place, the McDowell County Children’s Advocacy Center. Southmountain extends our gratitude to the Marion Business Association for this grant!
Southmountain Staff Teach Student Safety
Community outreach and prevention are important parts of Southmountain Children and Family Services’ mission, and community education about child abuse is an important way to meet that goal. Recently Rhonda Robbins, facility dog specialist with Southmountain Children and Family Services, partnered with McDowell County Sheriff Office Detective Paul Alkire to provide education on Internet Safety to West McDowell Middle School students and their parents. Detective Alkire, Cyber Crimes Investigator, provided tips and instruction on how to monitor internet and cell phone use; how to keep kids safe from on-line predators; and information on cyber-bullying. This program will be incorporated into 6th grade orientation for both students and parents starting this spring. The McDowell County Children’s Advocacy Center (Lily's Place) has also been offering a "Personal Body Safety" Program in McDowell County Elementary Schools for over five years. This program uses grade specific, age appropriate language to empower students to tell a trusted adult if someone makes them feel uncomfortable or touches them in an inappropriate way.
Local Community Hosts Picnic
On April 27th over 30 volunteers from St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Southpointe and Dry Creek came to the Estates and provided a day of Fun and Fellowship! All the families enjoyed games for all ages including kickball, face painting, three legged race, sack race, balloon toss, and a hula hoop contests. We all shared a wonderful meal provided by our volunteers and continued to play throughout the afternoon. These generous friends have also come to the Foster Community to teach cooking classes; provide games and holiday cheer; and donated school supplies. Their graciousness is much appreciated and we are fortunate to have such a wonderful group of volunteers!
Southmountain Elementary Students Shine at School!
Glen Alpine Elementary School held their 3rd Quarter Academic Excellence Ceremony on April 2nd and 4th. Each of our 19 Southmountain children who attend Glen Alpine received awards for earning all A's and B's, Perfect Attendance, Excellence in Reading and Math, and Good Citizenship. We are so proud of their hard work and for learning the character skills needed to be successful in and out of school!
Thank You Volunteers of Quilted Hugs!
Since the opening of Lily’s Place in 2011,”Quilted Hugs” has provided comfort and support for the children served at this Children’s Advocacy Center in McDowell County. Quilted Hugs provides children that have been emotionally and physically traumatized with the gift of a new, handmade quilt. Quilted Hugs is a non-profit organization of dedicated volunteers and staff who are focused on improving the quality of life of children in their local community. The staff of Lily’s Place and Southmountain Children and Family Services would like to say a big Thank You to these wonderful volunteers who give so graciously to our children and families!
Southmountain to host many Open Houses and Grand Openings - You're Invited!
Please mark your calendars now because you are invited! (Scroll down/or click "Read More" button to view). We are hosting many opportunities to have fun and meet our staff. Come check out how we are serving communities throughout North Carolina by helping children and families in need!
Southmountain Children and Family Services Expands Services across North Carolina
Southmountain Children and Family Services would like to announce the opening of four new Children’s Advocacy Centers in North Carolina, bringing these important services to communities across the state. The Transylvania County Children’s Advocacy Center in Western North Carolina is now open and in Eastern North Carolina, three centers have recently opened, including the Moore County Children’s Advocacy Center, the Harnett County Children’s Advocacy Center, and the N/E/W Children’s Advocacy Center that will serve Nash, Edgecombe and Wilson Counties. All four of these Centers are now providing services to child victims and their families. Southmountain staff have been very busy with the many tasks and preparations involved in opening the CACs including hiring and training new staff; training Multi-Disciplinary Teams; and locating and preparing buildings to become suitable as Children’s Advocacy Centers. All of these communities are very excited to have these critical services available in their counties! With the addition of these new centers, Southmountain Children and Family Services is now operating eight CACs serving 12 counties across North Carolina.
Children's Advocacy Center Teams Attend Training
Teams from all of our Children’s Advocacy Centers recently attended the “Physical Abuse Simulation Lab Training for Multidisciplinary Teams.” This training was provided jointly by The School of Medicine of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Children’s Advocacy Centers of North Carolina, and the North Carolina Child Medical Evaluation Program. The event provided the first multidisciplinary simulation training to improve the knowledge and skills of professionals when evaluating children for concerns of physical abuse. In addition to the CAC staff, Multidisciplinary Team Members from the CACs attended as well; including representative from law enforcement, Department of Social Services, and District Attorney's offices.
Southmountain Estates Enjoys Valentine’s Dance
An event in honor of Valentine’s Day is what brought our Foster Community together on February 16. An evening of dancing was thrown by Rosemary Haynes, Rachael Boyd, and Tiffany Bentley of the recreation department, but they were not alone in the efforts of throwing this amazing event! Throughout the last few months, the children of the Foster Community made our decorations; our very own Danny Marriott prepared our delicious meal; and our party was popping with songs played by DJ Jazzi Monkey Chris Norman. Our community was brought together for an evening of fun, laughter, and love for our children by dancing the night away. Our recreation department is in awe of the way our Foster Community and those who support us came together to celebrate all that we have built at the Foster Community.
~Written by Rosemary Haynes
Southmountain CAC's Receive National Accreditation
In January, 2019, the McDowell County Children’s Advocacy Center and the Blue Ridge Children’s Advocacy Center were approved for reaccreditation by the National Children’s Alliance. Accreditation with this entity requires extensive work at the Centers including written documentation and observed practice; and is affirmation that exemplary services are being offered, in compliance with national standards. Congratulations to all staff and collaborators at the McDowell County Children’s Advocacy Centers and the Blue Ridge Children's Advocacy Center that made the reaccreditation possible.
Walmart Gives Grant for McDowell County Children’s Advocacy Center
Southmountain Children and Family Services would like to say “Thank You” to the Walmart Foundation for awarding a grant to Lily’s Place, the Children’s Advocacy Center in McDowell County.
The $1,500 grant was used to purchase Christmas gifts for the Multidisciplinary Team to give to children served at the Children’s Advocacy Center. The grant award is greatly appreciated!
Thank You Huffman-Cornwell Foundation!
Southmountain Children and Family Services would like to extend a big “Thank You!” to the Huffman-Cornwell Foundation for the recent award of a most generous grant of $9,200. The grant will be used to purchase a desktop computer for every home in our Foster Community for our children to use to complete school assignments. The grant will also allow us to purchase a Chromebook laptop for every high school student. The gift from the Huffman-Cornwell Foundation will be a huge benefit to our children and families and help our children be successful in school!
Southmountain Receives Grant for new Transylvania County CAC
Southmountain Children and Family Services was recently awarded a quite generous People in Need grant for $20,000. The grant was received on behalf of the new Transylvania County Children’s Advocacy Center and will be used to purchase medical equipment for child medical exams that are done as part of child abuse investigations.
Funding for this project was provided by the Clyde and Mildred Wright Endowment, the Connestee Falls Endowment Fund and The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina. The Clyde and Mildred Wright Endowment Fund and the Connestee Falls Endowment Fund were created to support the charitable needs of our community. The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina is a nonprofit serving eighteen counties in Western North Carolina that inspires philanthropy and mobilizes resources to enrich lives and communities in Western North Carolina. More information on The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina can be found at www.cfwnc.org.
Cancellation: Agency Christmas Parade and Open House
It is with great regret that we are canceling this years' Annual Agency Christmas Parade and Open House. Current weather predictions are calling for inclement weather for both Saturday and Sunday, December 8th and 9th. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause; there is not a scheduled makeup date. Have a safe weekend and please be sure to join us next year in 2019 for our festivities.
Please Join Us For Annual Parade and Open House!
On Saturday, December 8th from 1:45 - 5:00 p.m. Southmountain Children and Family Services will be hosting our Annual Christmas Parade and Open House at Southmountain Estates weather permitting. Please join us at 1:45 for our parade with floats decorated by our families and children. Following will be an open house with the opportunity to visit our homes, enjoy Christmas decorations, with light snacks served. The address for Southmountain Estates is 7330 Myrtle Drive in Nebo, located close by to Lake James State Park. Please stay tuned by calling 828-584-1105 for directions, more information, or our agency website if there are any changes due to inclement weather.
Southmountain Estates Participates in Dragon Boat Festival!
On Saturday October 13, the Southmountain Scavenger Beetles took part in the Annual Lake James Dragon Boat Festival! This mighty team of 22 children, parents and staff of Southmountain Estates was chosen to be the Grant Team recipient from Walmart to participate in this great race. The Healing Dragons of Lake James team guided the Scavenger Beetles through the day and made sure we felt at home. The Scavenger Beetle Team placed 2nd overall in our division as we quickly became a mighty team! Families from the Estates came out to cheer us on from the beach waving homemade signs and hollering "Go Southmountain!"
Southmountain Receives Grant for Southmountain Estates
Southmountain Children and Family Services is the proud recipient of a quite generous grant of $7,600 from the Camp Lake James Stewardship Fund and the Community Foundation of Burke County. The grant will be used to make improvements to the homes at Southmountain’s Foster Community. Two homes will receive new kitchen countertops as a result of this grant. Southmountain would like to express our sincere appreciation for the continued support from the Community Foundation of Burke County and the Camp Lake James Stewardship Fund.
Lake Hickory Adventures
On September 8, 2018, Chad and Lisa Burel, owners of Lake Hickory Adventures, along with their friends from Mountain View Baptist Church treated 13 of our children along with the Southmountain Children and Family Services’ Recreation Department staff to a fun-filled day on Lake Hickory. Our kids had a blast riding in their speed boat; tubing and swimming in the lake; and having their faces painted. We also got to enjoy making crafts, decorating goody bags to take home, playing horseshoes, and blowing a bazillion bubbles! Another highlight of the day was singing with and listening to Luke Burel and his church worship team friends.
The Burls generously provided a fantastic lunch spread for all to enjoy! What a kind, joyful, and generous bunch are Chad, Lisa, Jesse, Luke, and their friends from Mountain View Baptist Church in Hickory! They continue to remind us of what community love and support look like in action. Southmountain is blessed to have them as friends!