Bobbers will begin after school Dec. 1 at First Lutheran Church

By DELLA WARREN

The Children’s Program has been renamed by its graduates to “Bobbers.” The Children’s Program, a six-week educational and supportive group for children who have a loved one dealing with addiction, was developed by the federal government to assist children to better understand addiction which is a disease and to teach them resiliency skills. One is four children in the United States are effected by addiction and this program assists them to understand that it is not their fault that their loved one is addicted.
The program’s curriculum is designed age specific with each age group having different exercises that relate to the six components. The first group offered last spring was for high school students. The first group was a key group according to Brenda Crowe, group facilitator. This group was given the task of renaming the group after a discussion about the program name. The teenagers had a real problem with the name — Children’s Group — so they were given the honor of renaming the program.
Co-facilitator Della Warren added that at their last meeting the group the young adults brainstormed and came up with “Bobbers.” It fits in with the local culture of fishing, reflects their lives of having to be able to arise to the top and is respectful to all age groups. The graduates are now Alumni and will be able to work with other groups with the facilitators and will meet monthly for an activity.
Bobbers will be starting again Dec. 1, after school at First Lutheran Church for children in kindergarten through third grade. The cost of the program is free thanks to the generosity of the Otto Bremer and Northland Foundations. We are the first community in the state to offer this national program, reported Warren. With the expansion of the Family Dependency Treatment Courts in Minnesota, other communities are being trained on implementing the program but it will take time to get them going. One of the graduates remarked that she hopes that others will take advantage of the opportunity of the program but knows it will take time and effort to open the eyes of the community about addiction.
For more information, contact Della Warren at 283-1118.