Up North Voice 2024
HOME g n i r Sp IMPROVEMENT See pages 1-12 B!
Locally Owned & Operated
Voice Vol. 15, Issue 5
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May 2024
Summer kicks off!
ST. HELEN- Join the Summer Kick-Off Event Sat., May 18 at the Richfield Twp Park from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Adults can enjoy the vendors and live music while the kiddos have a blast at the bounce house, play games, and take their shot at the dunk tank! ▪ See SUMMER KICK-OFF on page 2
IN THIS ISSUE:
Blessing of the bikes
Eagle Voice – 2-4
Turtle season – 3 Hale students -10 Graying Eagle Scout – 13 Mio airport – 16 Rosco archers – 17 St. Helen tire cleanup – 19 West Branch biz - 22 Iosco plant sale – 26
SPRING IS HERE! - Fairview Eagle’s Nest Preschooler Kyler Marsh is soaking up the spring sunshine during their outdoor recess.
HOUGHTON LAKE- Michigan Biker Law will be hosting the Houghton Lake Blessing of the Bikes at the Houghton Lake Chamber of Commerce Sat., May 4. Registration will open at 10 a.m. ▪ See BIKE BLESSING on page 2
Giving the vulnerable a voice By Donna Thoma
NORTHEAST MICHIGAN Home is a safe haven, a comfort zone, a place where people love, take care of, and protect each other. Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, said “there's no place like home.” However, the vision and understanding of “home,” may have a different meaning to some who live under the menace of physical and/or sexual abuse. Those individuals who live in constant fear of the next “episode,” often feel they have no voice. Abusers may say things like: “look what you made me do now,” “what goes on in this house, is no one else's business.” “If you leave, I will hurt myself.” Perhaps the victim is threatened with more abuse or worse at the hands of their perpetrator.
Whether physical or sexual, the American is sexually assaulted, and abuser can twist the situation to make every nine minutes, that victim is a the abused believe they are the reason child. Michigan has the highest rate the act happens. of rape cases in the One in ten children United States. will face sexual abuse Children treated before they turn at NMCAC have eighteen. The statistics experienced severe of child abuse show physical abuse, sexual the greatest to be that abuse, emotional abuse, of neglect, followed or may have been by physical, sexual, witness to, or acted out and psychological violently. maltreatment. Although Child abuse is a it may appear alone, community problem. psychological There is no individual Rebecca Younker, Executive Director of the agency that is equipped emotional abuse may Roscommon and Tawas be a factor in how the to handle every aspect Offices for the Children’s abuser is able to exert of dealing with a Assessment Center. their control over the victim of abuse. Police other person. agencies, Child Protective Services, Every sixty-eight seconds, an hospitals, physicians, Children's
Assessment Centers, schools, and communities, all have a role in protection of the vulnerable. “If you see something, say something.” The Michigan Child Protection Law went into effect in 1975 and requires the reporting of child abuse and neglect by doctors, teachers, day care, and any others who work with children. In 2011, Rebecca Younker moved from Grand Rapids, where she had worked at the Kent County Children's Assessment Center for fifteen years. Younker realized there was a great need for an assessment center in Roscommon and surrounding counties and founded the Northern Michigan Children's Assessment Center. Serving as Executive Director of Roscommon and Tawas offices, Younker, and a staff of twelve at ▪ See GIVING A VOICE on page 12