SUMMERS COUNTY, W.V. (LOOTPRESS) – The Summers County Sheriff’s Department recently announced that elementary-aged children will have the opportunity to participate in the first-ever Summers Sheriff’s Explorers Program beginning on Thursday, May 27, 2021. The department has teamed up with REACHH in Summers County to coordinate the program.
According to the department, the Summers County Sheriff’s Explorers program, “connects youth to police officers in a meaningful, educational way.”
The program will be held on the last Thursday of the month from May to August. The schedule is as follows:
May 27 at 5 p.m. at the picnic shelter at Bellepoint Park. The lesson will be “Meet the Police.”
June 24 at 5 p.m. at the activities building at Bluestone State Park. The lesson will be “Cyber Safety.”
July 29 at 5 p.m. at the picnic shelter at Pipestem State Park. The lesson will be “How to Deal with Bullies.”
August 26 at 5 p.m. at the Talcott Volunteer Fire Department. The lesson will be “Fire Safety.”
These lessons, which are each an hour long, are geared toward grades pre-k through fifth-grade students. Food and drinks will be provided during each lesson.
Sheriff J. L. Faris explained that each lesson will be taught using “Gracie’s Guide” from the children’s book series “Gracie’s Mysteries- Super Spy.”
Faris says the books include fun activities that the children can complete that teach them about the importance of stranger danger, fire safety, strange dogs and other general safety rules.
While working in Mercer County, Faris helped participate in an explorer’s program and is excited to see it come to Summers County.
“It has such a positive impact, and the kids absolutely have a blast,” he said, detailing the importance of the program.
“It helps us if we ever have to interact with one of these children again in an emergency situation because we have already built that positive relationship and trust with them. I am just very excited about it. We have gotten such great feedback from the community already.”
The Summers Sheriff’s Explorer Program is open to all children within the appropriate age range, not just those in Summers County.
For more information, contact Sheriff Faris at 304-466-7115 or visit the Summers County Sheriff’s Department Facebook page.
