The HANCOCK COUNTY CHILDREN’S COUNCIL will present the 2008 Nancy Gentile Humanitarian award to Donald C. Baril, Franklin, at their Annual Meeting and Breakfast Brunch, to be held at the White Birches Restaurant on June 10th at 8am. Please RSVP to Candy Eaton at 667-5304, ext. 261.

The Keynote speaker at this year’s annual Hancock County Children’s Council meeting will be Patrick Walsh, Director for the Child and Parent Council at Broadreach Family & Community Services, speaking on “Nurturing Fathers”. In advance of Father’s Day, Patrick will speak on how fathers make unique and irreplaceable contributions to the lives of children.

In March of 1987, the HANCOCK COUNTY CHILDREN’S COUNCIL established the Nancy Gentile Humanitarian Award to perpetuate her name and encourage and recognize individuals who are symbolic of the qualities she shared with others.

Nancy Gentile was a strong human rights advocate whose life tragically ended in an automobile accident at the age of 36. She worked for fifteen years to end violence against women and children, serving as Director of Spruce Run, President of Hancock County Children’s Council, Director of Parents Anonymous of Maine, and was also instrumental in mobilizing members of the community to confront issues that plague our lives today. In the late 1970’s, she was instrumental in organizing the Maine Coalition for Family Crisis Services, which during her lifetime became a network of domestic violence projects throughout the state. Her organizing efforts helped secure legislative funding for women and children in crisis. She served as a Maine representative to the national “Coalition Against Domestic Violence”, beginning and maintaining an important link to national resources. Nancy also worked to prevent Child Abuse and Neglect, to promote Peace Activism and in mobilizing communities to confront the issues that plague our lives today.

The Hancock County Children’s Council is a community effort dedicated to strengthening families throughout down east Maine. Financial support for our educational activities has been provided through the Department of Health and Human Services, United Way of Eastern Maine, Maine Children’s Trust, Hancock County Commissioners, Maine Community Foundation, Mainely Parents and several individual and corporate contributors. We are grateful for the administrative support and collaboration by the many programs of Downeast Health Services Inc.

The Hancock County Children’s Council collaborates annually with many area schools to provide the “Baby Think it Over®” program to students in 7th & 8th grades or area high school classes. This program allows students to participate in a hands-on realistic parenting experience that replicates the 24 hour/day care required by infants throughout a weekend or week-long period of time.

The Hancock County Children’s Council has an extensive collection of books and videotapes on subjects designed to help children and families live healthier lives. The Family Resource Center Library is available to all residents in Hancock County and is located in the Downeast Health Services building at 52 Christian Ridge Road, Ellsworth, ME. Please call 667-5304 ext. 261, email children@downeasthealth.org or visit our website at www.downeasthealth.org for additional information on parenting classes, support groups, life skills workshops, child development and family resources available in Hancock County.