| ‘West Point ENTERPRISES LTD. When is the Block Parent ‘sign displayed? Only when someone over the age of 18, “who has. been, screened by : the police, is available in the home. For. the Block Parent, there ~is. no - change: in. life-. _ style. If -you’re- unavailable | for any reason, even though _ you might be home, simply remove the sign. Its absence. doesn’t mean your home is unattended, only that you are unavailable, What kinds of things : are Block Parents not expected to do? Block. Parents are not expected to provide food or beverages, toilet facilities or transportation. They are not expected to administer first aid, to leave. home fo" break -up a fight, or to actively: engage any dangerous per-_ son. When should children use _ a Block Parent home? When _ they are alarmed by strangers or vicious animals. When they or a friend are involved in an accident. When they feel ill, or are lost, being bullied, or caught unprepared A few stories. “January. * ‘Walking: ‘home’ . froin’ ‘kindergarten through a. skiff of fresh fallen snow. It’s a magical time ‘for a Six- - year-old boy. He’s. new to: ‘town, though, and. the: dis- - traction of the snow makes it. hard to keep. track of. the landmarks that are. supposed to show him the. way home. A large van drives by, obscuring - fhe mark at the final tum. . He © ventures another 15 feet and nothing is familiar. He’s never seen ‘these houses, cars or people before, He panics and starts to cry. A car swings into a nearby driveway. As the. female driver and her son climb out. of the car they spot the boy _in distress. "Are you lost?" the woman asks. Strange people... louder, thé boy backs off. Sensing the boy’s apprehen- in-severe-weather-conditions.----sion; the woman tells ‘her'son What should your own children: know? (1) . Their. ‘own address and telephone - number. (2) Always to play in safe places. (3) Never to - talk to strangers, never to get in a car with a stranger, and never to accept candy or gifts from a stranger. (4) To take | the same route to or from school whenever possible. (5) To walk in groups whenever possible. (6) Where nearby Block Parent homes- are. located, and how to identify a Block Parent home in an unfamiliar neighbourhood. (7) Where to go in an emerg- . ency. Block . Parents in - your neighbourhood are there to help your children if the need ever arises. If you would like to offer that same security to their children, clip out the cou- pon on page 16. to run into the house and put . the Block Parent sign in the ‘front window. "Will you go - to that. house?" the woman asks ‘after'a moment. Seeing the sign, the boy wipes the _ tears from his eyes and nods. _As the boy heads towards the front door, the woman races down -the driveway, around the end of her house, and through the back door, . . The boy knocks. The woman answers the door, The young © lad tooks a little confused, but knows. the home is safe. There is a Block Parent sign. in the window. After some reassurance, the boy calms down and it’s not long before he ‘spots his missed landmark just down the street. Glowing, he hap- pily announces he knows the way home and prepares to leave. To be on the safe side, though, the woman asks her sobbing even. with happy endings son to. ‘accompany. the: boy home. just to be sure he _ arrives safely. — February. An energetic - nine-year-old _ falls .in some ‘Inud during - recess. The school Principal: gives her permission ‘to ‘go ‘home to change: On the way, a group of teenage boys start teasing her. Then, in the name of sharmless fun, they begin chasing her. She’s terrified. But the girl knows what to look for and-she doesn’t have far to run. She spots a Block Parent sign, runs down the walk, and knocks on the door. Her pursuers grind to a quick halt and disappear. The Block Parent phones the school, and someone .is sent to pick the girl up and return her to ‘school. . March. The early: evening quiet is shattered with ‘the clatter of metal against pave- : Ment and ‘the .screams: of: a,- 10-year-old boy. Block’ Par- ents from a nearby home race to the scence. The boy has fallen off his bicycle, dislo- cating his shoulder. He is in obvious pain.. One Block Parent comforts the boy while the other runs back - home to phone the boy’s parents. The parents arrive a short time later and take their son to the hospital, where he is treated and released. - - April. A spring-like Satur- day moming, a 10-year-old: *-boy, and a skateboard, The fun doesn’t last long. Within 4 half hour the boy’s parents get a phone call from a Block Parent. "Your son took a nasty spill and has deep cut ‘his knee," they are told. At the request of the boy's parents, the Block Parent drives the boy to hospital, — Continued on page 18 FINNINGDY Count On Us Carlyle ws Shepherd & Co. > RIVER INDUSTRIES. (TERRACE) LTD.