Greetings!

How's your summer going? It has certainly been "wicked" hot here in Waterville lately. With temperatures hovering around 90 this week, we are very grateful to have our new sun shelter this year.  

I would personally like to thank Cindy Manson, program director at The Children's Place, as well as our maintenance manager David Hatt, and development director Steve Mayberry for their hard work and dedication to make the project possible. It has provided an opportunity for children from The Children's Place to get outdoors and enjoy summer! To learn more about the project, you can read the story below. 

As hot temperatures continue this summer, we have also provided some very helpful swimming safety tips in this e-newsletter that we think every parent should read. If you have a pool, or love to take your kids to the beach, these are great tips to ensure everyone can stay cool and safe this summer. 

If the heat is starting to get to you, just remember...snow is just around the corner :)

Sincerely,

Sharon Abrams, Executive Director

Latest News...

Children and Staff Enjoy New Sun Shelter  

Summer brings increased temperatures and additional sun exposure that can be very dangerous for young children and teens. The Maine Center for Disease Control and the Maine Cancer Consortium have teamed up to provide a $1,000 mini-grant to support The Children's Place at The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers and their continuous efforts to protect children from the sun.

The $1,000 grant, written by Cindy Manson, program director at The Children's Place, was used recently to help build a sun shelter on The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers campus to protect the children from the sun. The shelter will limit sun exposure for the children during peak hours of the day while they are playing or participating in activities outdoors.

"For the longest time, we haven't had a designated shaded area for the kids, so we are very grateful for this grant. The new sun shelter will continue to provide us with more ways to educate Maine families and their children about the importance of protection from the sun. As we have emphasized at our agency for over 111 years, there is nothing more important to us than the safety of the children," said Sharon Abrams, executive director of the Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers.

Staying Safe...

5 Water Safety Tips for Kids  

On a hot summer day, it's fun to spend a day at the beach or jump in a pool, but here are five very important things to remember before diving in. 
 
1. NEVER swim unattended.Be sure a responsible adult or lifeguard is on duty. No child should ever swim alone.

2. Wear sunscreen. As with any outdoor activity, be sure to apply plenty of sunscreen. If you are going swimming, apply waterproof sunscreen before going in the water. 

3. Use a floatation device. If your child needs a flotation device, make sure it is Coast Guard approved.

4. Know the rules. All pools and beaches have posted rules to follow. Point out the rules or read them to your child before he/she is allowed to go in the water.

5. Check the depth. In the pool or the ocean, not knowing how deep an area is very dangerous. At a pool, check for the depth markers and on a beach ask the lifeguard about the water depth.