Block Parent comes to Langdon

Times Reporter

 

Growing up many of us can probably recall the distinctive red and white design of a Block Parent sign in the occasional window. Now a days seeing the signs is rare, but the ideal behind the program is still a necessary function. 

Block Parents have always been known as the safe people you can go to as a child if you need help, whether it is safety from bullies, strangers, or because you are feeling ill. 

Four women in Langdon have gotten the approval for bringing the Block Parent program to the community, now they need the volunteers. 

“We just have the community members filling out the applications and getting them in. We haven’t given any signs out yet because we haven’t gotten any applications in yet,” said Chrissy Craig, one of the four board members. 

In order to become a Block Parent, volunteers must go through the application process and have a police check done.  Craig and the board don’t have a specific number of people they would like to become a part of the program, but said the goal is to have a Block Parent sign on every block, at every time of the day. 

After realizing that many of the people living in the community are families with children, bringing the Block Parent program to Langdon seemed like a natural fit to the board. 

“The majority of this town is families with little children, everywhere you go, there are trampolines in every other backyard. We don’t have a huge police presence out here, just because we don’t have a detachment out here, so we needed something to help with these children,” said Craig.

“Just to help if something happens, dogs or bullies or even some stranger, that does happen. But it’s mostly for like the bullying and the strange animals, or if they’re lost, that sort of stuff. (It’s) to help these kids when their parents aren’t always around, so they have a safe place where they know they can go.”

Before the end of the school year Craig said the plan is to get in to the schools and preschools to inform the kids about the Block Parent program.