Child I.D. event needs volunteers

Town Council

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Dr. Doug Fryday, of Fryday-Miller Chiropractic & Wellness in Southampton, made a deputation to Town Council Monday on behalf of the Masons.

The Masons along with local law enforcement will be conducting a free child identification program at The Plex in Port Elgin on May 15 and 16 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

"In Ontario alone, nearly 20,000 children have been reported missing," said Fryday.  According to Child Find Ontario, there are a number of reasons including parental abductions, stranger abductions, Internet luring, runaways and lost children.

In 1990, the Masons in New York and California began to hold child ID events at no cost to families.  They provided video-taped interviews with recorded voice tracks in addition to still photos and fingerprinting along with dental impressions introduced in 1998.

Now there are more than 30 Masonic jurisdictions in North America implemented the MasoniCh.I.P. method.

At the MasoniCh.I.P. event, parents or guardians are given Child Information Kits to complete and then take home.  No information about any child is kept by event providers or volunteers.  Each child will progress through the various identification stations - fingerprinting, still photos, video interview, dental impressions and inside of cheek DNA swab.

Fingerprinting - a well-known tool as no two fingerprints are alike

Digital Photos - the Amber Alert program is throughout North America and a set of colour photos are part of the media alert in the case of a missing child

Video Interview - a brief video is invaluable to law enforcement.  It captures the appearance, speech, mannerisms and important personal characteristics of a child which can quickly be distributed to the media.

Dental Impressions - the Toothprints (R) are unique and gives accurate information for indentification

DNA Swab - this is vital for babies

Families are then reminded to take the package with them on trips or vacations and to also make copies of the CD to leave with family members.  The completed Child Information Kit is a valuable tool for law enforcement to aid in the recovery of a missing child.

Saugeen Shores fully endorse the program and will be present during the two-day event.

"At the Port Elgin Pumpkinfest last summer, we processed 245 children over the two days," said Fryday. "We are hoping to process 800 children at the Plex.  Everyone is welcome.  Whether you live in Saugeen Shores, Bruce County or are visiting the area.  This program can also be implemented with adult children who are intellectually challenged and even for those older adults with dimentia."

"The most recent Child I.D. was in Hanover," says Fryday, "where they processed over 700 children with the help of 143 volunteers.  So, if we are looking at 800, we definitely will need all the help we can get."

All volunteers must undergo a police criminal records check, known as a 'vulnerable sector search'  available from the local Police station.

For those wanting to get involved, call Doug Fryday at 519-797-1515 or Larry Carr at 519-832-6121.

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Tuesday, April 27, 2010