DATE: 	 4/06/04
CONTACT: Sharon Crout, (864) 688-2251, scrout@clemson.edu 
         Kerry Coffey, (864) 656-0312, kcoffey@clemson.edu 
WRITER:	 Sharon Crout, (864) 688-2251

Communities Commit to be Strong Communities 
for Children Initiative Kicks-Off Third Year

	Greenville-- Communities in southern Greenville County and 
beyond are committing to be Strong Communities for Children as the 
Strong Communities initiative begins its third year. 
	During April, Child Abuse Prevention Month, leaders and 
residents of Fountain Inn, Mauldin, Simpsonville, Conestee, Donaldson, 
Gantt, Fork Shoals, Pelzer and Piedmont are announcing their 
commitments to assume an active role in child protection.
	This year, as the anniversary of Strong Communities for 
Children in the Golden Strip is celebrated, cities, communities and 
neighborhoods that have embraced the Strong Communities mission are 
holding individual observances and solidifying their commitment to keep 
kids safe.  The events all will include celebrations of the ways in 
which everyone is working to ensure safety for children and well being 
for families.
	Elected officials of Fountain Inn, Mauldin, and Simpsonville 
will formally proclaim each of the cities to be a Strong Community for 
Children.  Special events are also planned in the unincorporated towns 
and villages throughout the area during April. 
	The public is invited to Golden Strip Family & Child 
Development Center at 9 a.m. on Apr. 14, when Simpsonville will be 
declared a Strong Community for Children by Mayor Dennis Waldrop. 
	Among special guests will be Michael Cogdill, News Anchor, 
WYFF, who is also a children's writer. Dr. Gary B. Melton, director of 
the Institute on Family & Neighborhood Life at Clemson University, will 
also make remarks. Dr. Melton is the director of the Strong Communities
initiative.
	Simpsonville officials will announce plans for a city-wide 
project that will involve community residents in making decisions about
ways to keep kids safe. A chorus of 4K kindergarten students will sing,
and refreshments will be provided.
	"We are excited by the enthusiasm demonstrated in each 
community," said Dr. Melton. "More than 1000 volunteers and scores of 
organizations have joined together to keep kids safe."
	In Mauldin on Apr. 19 at 5:30 p.m., officials will host a hot 
dog picnic in the City Hall courtyard and announce innovative new 
partnerships to increase support for children and families.
	 Block parties will be held in Fountain Inn and Simpsonville 
neighborhoods.  A variety of special activities is on tap at the Granny 
Ellisor Memorial Toy Lending Library in Fountain Inn. 
	Fork Shoals Y is planning a special family day on Apr. 24.  The
event will feature games, prizes and food.
	On Apr. 3, the Conestee, Donaldson, and Gantt communities 
kicked off the month with a community cleanup and a neighborhood 
festival at Shady Oak Church. 
	Also on Apr. 3, Piedmont and Pelzer residents took part in an 
"Eggstravaganza," sponsored by Pride in Piedmont. Details of a 
community emergency relief effort will be announced at a luncheon for 
Piedmont leaders on Apr. 30.
	Strong Communities will be naming "Champions for Children" in 
all communities to recognize churches, businesses and other groups that 
are providing a model for others in supporting children and families.
	Strong Communities seeks to build systems of support for 
families of young children in order to prevent child abuse and neglect.
The largest grant that Clemson University has received in the social, 
behavioral, and health sciences, the research initiative is a 
multi-million-dollar initiative funded by The Duke Endowment for at 
least four years.  The grant for 2004 alone is for $1.4 million.
	Collaborations among municipal governments, schools, churches, 
public safety agencies, businesses and civic organizations in southern 
Greenville and in parts of Anderson and Laurens counties are resulting 
in coordinated community action to protect children.  Among the 
strategies being used are community policing, church-school 
partnerships, neighborhood organization, and school-based family 
support.
	"Keeping children safe is the responsibility of the entire 
community in all aspects of everyday life," noted Dr. Melton. "The 
answer to child maltreatment is not the exclusion of the families in 
which it occurs. Instead, the solution is neighborly compassion and 
support."
	For a complete listing of all events, visit the Strong 
Communities website at www.clemson.edu/strongcommunities. 
	Strong Communities for Children in the Golden Strip (Strong 
Communities) is a comprehensive, community-wide initiative to prevent 
child abuse and neglect in southern Greenville County and surrounding 
communities by building systems of support for families of young 
children. Strong Communities is a Public Service Activity of the 
Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life at Clemson University, based 
at the Golden Strip Family and Child Development Center and supported 
by a generous multi-year grant from The Duke Endowment. For more 
information about Strong Communities, please visit 
www.clemson.edu/strongcommunities.
				END