Senior program receives grants to benefit school programs

The Retired Senior Volunteer Program in Mineral County received a grant from Blackfoot Telecommunications for $500.

Program coordinator Mary Jo Berry wrote the grant back in September and announced that the RSVP program has indeed received some money.

“And what it’s for is to go into the school’s and do the child identification system,” Berry said.

Berry said that the grant has allowed them to get the equipment that they will need to go into the schools and compile child identification kits on cd.

“Obviously, a parent or guardian has to sign the form giving permission for the kit to be made on their child. But once they have, we will come in and take photos of them from all sides, do a voice recognition and finger print them,” Berry said. “We’ll document any scars or birthmarks. All of this stuff will go on a cd and that cd will be given to the parent.”

Berry said that a parent can have more done if they wish including hair or saliva for DNA purposes.

“And once you have it, you can put it in a safe place and hope you never have to use it,” Berry said.

Berry said that they are hoping to get into all three of the schools. She said that they had a date set up and she encouraged anyone who home schools or has young children at home to call her if they’d like to have it done for their child. Berry can be reached at 822-4800.

Berry said that RSVP is also hoping to get up and running with providing meals to those who are shut in. She said that they want to be able to give at least one meal a day to people who need it.

“I think that there are probably people who don’t know that we’re doing this,” Berry said.

Berry said that if anyone is interested in what they are doing or needs to learn more to also give her a call.