Society's National Cause
January 10, 2010
Dear Chapter Chairs,
The Society Board of Directors has again adopted the National Child Identification Program (NCIP) as the Society’s National Cause. Our involvement allows each Society member to participate in a community service that is very meaningful to all of us. But it also has the very real potential to help solve some of the cases of 761,000 children who ran away from home in 2008.
An example of how this positive result can happen is the case of Sarah, a 14 year old who ran away from her family in Dallas, Texas. Six months later she was arrested for shoplifting in Tucson, Arizona. Her fingerprints matched fingerprints in NCIC that had been taken by her parents and provided to law enforcement after she ran away. She was returned home several days after her arrest. This is only one of many cases where the NCIP has been the successful link to recovering a run away child.
Our theme will again be “Love Your Child = Protect Your Child”.. We will partner with the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). Kenny Hansmire, Executive Director of the NCIP, has invited me and President-elect Les Davis to be their guests at the AFCA Convention in Orlando, Florida on January 12, 2010 to further discuss our National Cause. He has also committed to provide each Society Chapter or member sponsoring a child ID event with 1,000 free kits that will include a card for the child’s inkless fingerprints, physical description, current photo and a DNA sample. The Society logo will appear on the envelope of each kit distributed.
In the past we have encouraged Chapters to plan their event around a specific day: National Night Out in 2008 and National Missing Children’s Day in 2009. This may have made it difficult for Chapters to participate. So, this time I would like Chapters to sponsor an event whenever and wherever it is most convenient for them. Also think about involving the spouses of Society members and local law enforcement.
Please work closely with your Chapter members and your Regional Vice-President so that we might make an even bigger impact this year on the safety of our children nationwide.
Sincerely,
John M. Kelso, Jr.
Society President