BY AMANDA PEVEY
ELMORE/AUTAUGA NEWS
The Elmore County HIPPY program held its first group meeting on October 13, 2021 for parents and their children for the school year. The group meeting took place at Gold Star Park in Wetumpka, Alabama from 12-2 p.m.
The Alabama Department of Public Health demonstrated the proper way to buckle a child in a car seat and booster seat. Representatives also answered questions for parents and gave insightful information on car seat safety.
The Wetumpka Fire Department came to share with the children and their parents what to do in case of a fire. They also showed the children what a fireman looks like with all of their turnout gear on as well. The children had the opportunity to tour the large Wetumpka Fire truck at the park, which was a big hit.
HIPPY stands for Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters. It is a FREE home-based preschool program that is offered to the families of Elmore County by the Elmore County Board of Education. The program is complete with storybooks and activity packets each week free to all participating families.
MaryAnn Forelle McCluskey has been the Director for the HIPPY program since 2011. She started as a parent in the program in 2000, a home visitor in 2001 in Montgomery, AL and then moved to Elmore County in 2008 to be a home visitor. In 2011, McCluskey worked her way up to be the Director for the HIPPY program.
McCluskey said, “In 2011, we started at 45 families and 10 years later, we have grown to 90 families in 2021.”
Her passion is the HIPPY program and everything it has to offer. She loves seeing all of the amazing children learn, grow, and to be successful in school and in life as well. McCluskey has five Home Visitors which are parent educators that make home visits once a week to role-play the lessons with the parents. Home Visitors have weekly training in Wetumpka every Wednesday for four hours.
Bridget McDonald, one of the five Home Visitors said, “The HIPPY program is a great program. It provides great resources for parents and children, and we are super excited to start the program for the families and the children. This is my first year being a Home Visitor in the HIPPY program and I’m excited that I get this opportunity.”
The Alabama Department of Public Health had three employees that came out to the group meeting to demonstrate to the parents on how to properly buckle a child in a car seat as well as a booster seat. Denise Bertaut is the program coordinator for the Alabama Department of Public Health. Betsy Cagle and Bertaut are both certified car seat technicians.
Ann Colley is training to become a certified car seat technician as well. The ADPH employees also passed out pamphlets for the parents to take home. The Wetumpka Fire Department came out so the children can learn about fire safety and get to know the firemen and see what it’s like to be a fireman.
Jon Johnson and another fireman both brought out their full turnout gear. Lieutenant Jake Baker with the Wetumpka Fire Department is the coordinator for the school programs. He talked about how children sometimes get upset when they see a fireman in their full turn out gear, but he wanted to reassure the children that they do not have to be afraid.
The firefighters demonstrated to the crowd of what it’s like with their full turn out gear on.
“In case of an emergency, always call 911. Close before you doze is a saying meaning, close the door before you go to sleep. In case of a fire, it’s always better to have the door closed so the heat and smoke does not come into the room. Also, when you sleep, you cannot smell. Be sure to change your batteries in your smoke alarm every six months,” said Baker.
The Wetumpka Fire Department passed out coloring books and hats for all of the children and bookmarks for the parents that had safety tips for them to remember as well.
There were about 34 people who came to learn more about car seat safety as well as fire safety for the October program.
Children had fun playing on the playground at the park, interacting with other children and also touring the big white fire truck as well.
If anyone is interested in learning more about the HIPPY program that is being offered FREE for Elmore County, please follow their Facebook page. The HIPPY Facebook page is: http://www.facebook.com/elmorecountyhippy
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