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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 25, 1999)
Center celebrates years of care Organization strives to provide quality services By Christina Fechner Staffwriter Although today’s children may be exposed to more violence than chil dren 50 years ago, according to Child Guidance Center counselors, the cen ter has been a constant savior for chil dren of all backgrounds for five decades. The center, a non-profit organiza tion, has been helping mainly low income families deal with children who may have social or behavioral problems. The center celebrated its 50th anniversary this month and is still help ing youth and their families cope with day-to-day struggles. The center, at 215 Centennial Mall South, provides outpatient, residential and extended-day treatment, psycho logical evaluations and also in-home mental health services. — _ - ' Children are facing new challenges all the time, and the center changes along with those needs, said Katy Hilgenkamp, clinical director of the outpatient program. Kids are becoming more violent, Hilgenkamp said. “We see more physical aggression and violence in society,” she said. The center has come a long way in the past 50 years, Hilgenkamp said. More programs are available, and the center has never turned a child away. The staff and volunteers at the cen ter deal with clients in a confidential professional manner, said Ilene Reed, development director at the Child Guidance Center. The center serves youth from toddlers to 20-year-olds. “Nobody should be afraid to find out what’s wrong. Every child is an individual with problems of their own,” Reed said. Families are an important focus at the center, she said. Families ar& encouraged to work together to over come problems and find solutions. “It is helpful to ask other people what they did (in situations) when you are trying to find answers,” Reed said. The center also serves youth with services such as suicide risk assess ments, substance abuse programs and parenting skills. The counselors focus on improving their clients’ self-esteem and working together with their families. “It’s a chance to be in a safe rela tionship that’s confidential and pro tects their interest, not solves their problems - empowers them,” Hilgenkamp said. Kit Boesch, Lincoln/Lancaster County human services administrator, said the center fulfills many needs of youth in Lincoln. “They have an outstanding staff, u Every child is an individual with problems of their own” Ilene Reed development director flexible scheduling and a sliding fee scale,” Boesch said. Patients are referred to the center by school officials or parents con cerned about their children’s behavior. Anyone can call to ask a question or make an appointment. Most of the clients are low-income families and funding is provided by the United Way, county, state and federal agencies and some private donations. The center operates «n a sliding fee scale, meaning the fee is adjusted to the family’s income. Hilgenkamp said the center serves a vital need in Lincoln and does not discriminate or turn anyone away. “Our mission is to give quality mental health care to people who oth erwise couldn’t afford it,” Hilgenkamp said. F ce night away DANCE from page 1 u The dances are usually held at the Nebraska Union, the Nebraska East Union or Hillcrest Country Club, 8901 OSt - Presidents Rick and Sue Waldren said the Nebraska East Union is their favorite*place to hold the group’s meet ings. - “ - ' “Most people don’t realize it, but the dance floor in the Great Plains Room at the East Union is the best in Lincoln,” Rick Waldren said. In addition to the dance floor, the Nebraska East Union offers plenty of space, good parking and, because the organization is affiliated with the uni versity, using the East Union is cheaper than going somewhere off campus. Members can eat at an optional din ner at 7 p.m. According to the Waldrens, about 99 percent of the cou pies who attend the dance also attend the dinner. , following the dinner, usually around 8 p.m., a live band plays for the dance. Maxine’s Rhythmaires kept the dance floor alive at Saturday’s dance. ' Themes for each dance are chosen by a committee, made up of six Faculty Dance Club couples. The committee decorates the dance hall and coordi nates a menu to that theme. Some themes require members to dress in costume for the occasion, Bracken said. Previous themes includ ed Mardi Gras and The Lady and the Tramp. Saturday’s theme was an autumn harvest. If costumes are not required, men generally wear suits and women wear dresses, Bracken said. But until the mid-1940s, men customarily wore tuxedos. The Waldrens have been members for 10 years and have served as officers for four. Sue Waldren said she and her hus band are fairly new to the Faculty Dance Club in comparison with the rest of the group. “We’re the babies. The majority of the people have been members 20 to 30 years,” she said. . Membership fees for the club are $60 per couple each year, or $30 per semester. Non-members may attend one dance each season at no charge. For more information, contact Bracken or his wife, Geri Cotter, at - 477-6357. Bracken and Cotter, who have been members for five years, said they have enjoyed being a part of the club because it’s fiin, healthy and they have enjoyed spending time with the other couples. “We’re always one of the last cou ples to leave,” Cotter said. COUNCIL from page 1 Denton, To make up for off-season opera tion costs the company may face if the ordinance passes, Freedom Fireworks plans to lure customers with large, fancy fireworks, such as an qversized sparkler and a fire cracker containing a confetti bomb. Tom Casady, Lincoln police Chief, said the Lincoln Police Department is limiting the number of officers who can take New Year’s Eve off, partly because ofY2K concerns. Casady said police responded to about 150 fireworks disturbances > last Fourth of July. . Fireworks complaints were one fourth to one-third of the police department’s workload in the two days before July 4, 1999, Casady said. Most of these disturbances were complaints from neighbors. “It’s someone trying to sleep, and there’s illegal fireworks going off,” Casady said. “Anything that goes ‘bang’ is illegal (in Lincoln).” He said he didn’t want to be a “stick-in-the-mud,” but he hoped the weather would be cold so not many people would use fireworks. • “If we’re lucky, we’ll have 10 below and 30 mile-per-hour winds from the northwest,” he said. A bill introduced by Sen. Adrian Smith of Gering in the 1999 Legislature aHowed fireworks to be sold between Dec: 27 and Jan. 1, 2000. Nebraska cities can choose to restrict the selling dates. City councilwoman Annette McRoy said she supported the pro posed ordinance because fireworks for the millennium was a “once-in-a lifetime-thing.” “I’m glad we’re lightening up a little,” she said. Johanns, tribes open discussion JOHANNS from page 1 commission and tribal leaders will have direct access to the governor, he said. “I think this gives the commission and various leaders of the tribe a direct contact in the administration that they can approach when issues come forward,” Maurstad said. Judi Morgan, executiva-director bf the Indian commission, said she welcomed Maurstad’s help in solving the problems tribes bring forward. By appointing Maurstad to assist the tribes, Morgan said, Johanns was helping the tribal government be accessible to the federal government. “I think that shows respect for the status of the tribes,” Morgan said. Along with appointing Maurstad as a liaison, Johanns said he planned to write all the issues brought up Friday into a report. Johanns, legisla tors and department leaders would be able to consult the report when mak ing legislation. State agency heads were also on hand on Friday to listen to tribal lead ers. I Tribal leaders said they were happy with Johanns’ efforts to get feedback from tribes. Arthur “Butch” Denny, the Santee Sioux tribal chairman, said the summit may open communica tion between the tribes andJohanns. “I really feel we can bring issues to this governor, and he will deal with them,” Denny said. j Ken Mallory, Winnebago tribal chairman, said hie was happy with the outcome of the summit. fV “I think it went as expected,” Mallory said. HO\N A ' How long has it been since you’ve seen the dentist? ‘ *■’ - '' f”;- .l '' ; ‘m&m C| A Blue Cross, Blue Shield PPO Provider Jeep, c Meginnis Ford Co. Free 6400”Q” St. Shuttle Lincoln, NE Service , - 68505 Ford Jeep Saab Isuzu Sales & Service 464-0661 - 1 Find out more information about contraceptive methods at the free presentation of: “CONTRACEPTIVE METHODS and ISSUES” Thursday, October 28 Nebraska Union Auditorium 6:30 p.m. Spons6red1>y the PERSUNL Program : ■ ■ • i- - . - Attendance at this presentation meets the University Health Center’s patient education requirement for first-time birth control prescriptions.