Photo credit to Joe Shearer
This article is written by Tim Rohwer. It was posted on nonpareilonline.com on May 31, 2017.
Pottawattamie County wants to show some fatherly love to children who really need it.
The county's Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to contribute $1,000 towards the costs of the Fathers Matters Community Celebration, aimed at showing the importance of children having a father.
"Fathers have become an icon of the family," said Patrick Garcia, community outreach developer for Boys Town National Research Hospital. "We need to get them reconnected with children."
The local celebration, a joint venture by Boys Town Iowa and the Pottawattamie County Sheriff's Department, will be held on June 10, the weekend prior to Father's Day, at Tom Hanafan River Front Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Free and open to the public, the event will involve various activities ideal for dads spending a fun afternoon with their children.
Activities planned include kite flying, a bike rodeo, booth games, arts and crafts and more.
Statistics provided by Garcia clearly show the disadvantages of children not having a father in their lives.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 24.7 million children, or 33 percent of the total children's population, live absent their biological father. Nearly 57 percent of black children live absent their biological father, while 31 percent of Hispanic children are in the same situation as are 20 percent of caucasian children.
Children growing up in a household where the father is involved in crime are four times more likely to land in prison than other children, Garcia said.
Garcia, who has sought financial and in-kind help from various entities, received a $1,000 pledge from the board to help pay for costs.
In other action, the board approved the purchase of three recycling containers to be located around the county.
"It's to increase awareness and availability of recycling to rural residents," said Matt Wyant, planning director.
The blue containers should arrive within two months, with one of them placed in the Crescent area, another in the Underwood area and the third at the county's waste transfer station.
