Archive for the 'In the news' Category

The most generous countries in the world?

The Great Barrier Reef isn’t the only thing that’s big in Australia - the Land Down Under also has a giant heart. Australia ranked number one (tied with New Zealand) in the Gallup World Giving Index, as reported on Newser. The poll ranked countries on the basis of how often their citizens donate to charity, spend time volunteering and are willing to help out strangers, according to the Associated Press.

In the poll, the U.S. tied for fifth place with Switzerland. Canada and Ireland tied for third place.

The whole article is at the NY Daily News.

September 09 2010 | Fundraising and In the news | No Comments »

Stoning Sentence Stopped

Iran is suspending the sentence of a woman convicted of adultery who was to be stoned to death Wednesday. The sentence is now under review, Iranian state-run media reported Wednesday. The stoning sentence for Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, a mother of two, had caused much controversy in the West, causing strain even with Brazil, a nation with whom Tehran was proud of its close relationship. Brazil’s president offered asylum for Ashtiani. The Daily Beast’s Women in the World community—including Shohreh Aghdashloo, Madeleine Albright, Tina Brown, Leymah Gbowee, Susan Lyne, Jacqueline Novogratz, and Gloria Steinem—had condemned the death sentence in a petition. Read their original statement here.

September 08 2010 | In the news | No Comments »

Bullying is unacceptable

A letter in today’s Northwest Herald

As the children in our communities return to school, we should do all we can to make our schools and communities safe places for our children to learn and grow.

Too often, children are singled out as different and harassed or bullied because of those differences. Some have different ethnic backgrounds, some don’t have the ideal body shape, some are nonathletic, gay or perceived to be gay; all these children deserve to be educated in a safe place.

They shouldn’t have to worry about being ridiculed, humiliated or beaten up.

A local high school senior committed suicide this spring. His mother believes the bullying he experienced throughout middle school and high school caused him to take his own life.

We need to teach our children what bullying is. We need to teach them it is unacceptable for them to bully. We need to help them find help for themselves and their friends if they experience or witness bullying.

 

Catherine Becker

Crystal Lake

September 03 2010 | In the news | No Comments »

Seeing Double?

sept-2010-002

Turning Point advocates Judy & Melodee turned up dressed alike today! Both are a vision in purple & balck!

September 02 2010 | In the news | 1 Comment »

Man Chokes Wife After She Tosses His Cigarettes

SKOKIE, Ill. Bond was set at $20,000 for a northwest suburban man accused of choking his wife and children after she threw away his cigarettes last week.

Cook County Sheriff’s police responded on Aug. 27 to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge after a report of domestic battery in unincorporated Maine Township near Des Plaines, a release from the sheriff’s office said.

The victim told detectives that on Thursday, Aug. 26, at about 10 p.m., she and her husband got into in a heated argument after she threw away his cigarettes.

She said her husband, Osman Hamad Abdelrahim, grabbed her in a choke hold from behind and lifted her up off her feet. He then turned her around and placed his hands around her throat and tried to strangle her, the release said.

You can read the whole story here.

September 01 2010 | In the news | No Comments »

Rush Limbaugh: non-profit organization employees are “lazy idiots” and “rapists”

rush_limbaugh

I must confess, when this was first brought to my attention I thought it was a hoax. I just can’t imagine a popular radio host saying something like this- and it’s even harder to believe we haven’t heard screams of protest about it. You can listen to it yourself here.  

Some “highlights” of his rant: “Bunch of lazy idiots. Many of them don’t want to really work. Non-profits siphon contributions, as their salaries and so forth, and think of themselves as “good people, charitable people.”  I mean, these people are rapists, in terms of finance and economy.”

Incidentally, there are Turning Point advocates on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. By comparison, Rush Limbaugh is paid 38 million dollars a year and is on the air 3 hours a day, Monday through Friday approximately 46 weeks a year.

August 30 2010 | In the news | No Comments »

20 Ways You Can Help Your Children Succeed in School

elementary_school

With schools starting back up this week, Executive Director Jane Farmer suggested I  pass along these tips:

“As a parent, you are your child’s first and most important teacher. When parents and families are involved in their children’s schools, the children do better and have better feelings about going to school. In fact, many studies show that what the family does is more important to a child’s school success than how much money the family makes or how much education the parents have. There are many ways that parents can support their children’s learning at home and throughout the school year. Here are some ideas to get you started!

Develop a partnership with your child’s teachers and school staff

Support your child academically

Get involved with your child’s school

Get informed and be an advocate for your child

Support your child’s learning at home

You can read the 20 ways to do all that here.

August 24 2010 | In the news and Programs | No Comments »

Vigil for victims of bullying set

From today’s Northwest Herald:

Scott Walz was three months shy of his high school graduation when he killed himself this spring.

His mother, Nancy, said her son thought suicide was a way to escape nearly a decade of bullying. So since his death, Nancy Walz has committed to spreading awareness about bullying and its detrimental effects.

“I don’t want any other kids to go through what he went through, and what we as parents are going through,” Walz said.

In memory of Scott and other youth who have taken their own lives after bouts with bullying, a candlelight vigil is planned tonight in Johnsburg.

The vigil will be at 7 p.m. at Midwest Bank, 3805 N. Johnsburg Road. The vigil, dubbed Stand for the Silent, will be one of several identical events happening tonight across the globe.

August 24 2010 | In the news | No Comments »

Radiothon help appreciated

A letter to the editor in today’s Northwest Herald:

Star 105.5 held its fifth “Take a Stand for Turning Point” radiothon Aug. 6-7. The radiothon is Turning Point’s largest annual fundraiser. This 36-hour event requires the efforts of quite literally hundreds of people, and I want to thank all of them.

It would not be possible without the efforts of more than 100 volunteers, including those who performed and spoke at the event and those who conducted fundraisers and activities to raise money in advance of the weekend. We are indebted to our major sponsors, including Sage Products, McDonald’s, Algonquin Commons, the Northwest Herald, and Centegra Health System. We are grateful for each of the hundreds of donations made to Turning Point and the donations that continue to come in through our website, www.McHenryCountyTurningPoint.org.

And of course, we must thank Star 105.5 for the station’s dedication to our mission to confront violence against women and children in McHenry County. We appreciate the funds raised, but we are even more grateful for the chance to spend 36 hours educating McHenry County about domestic violence and the services we provide at Turning Point.

On behalf of the staff, board and clients of Turning Point, I thank you.

 

Joe Kvidera

Events coordinator

Turning Point

Woodstock

August 23 2010 | Fundraising and In the news and Volunteers | No Comments »

Man charged in battery of 2 children

Awful stories seem to be everywhere today: This from the Northwest Herald:

“A 30-year-old McHenry man was in McHenry County Jail this morning on allegations that he choked a 10-year-old and hog-tied a 5-year-old last month.

Brian M. Blum, of 4706 Joyce Lane, allegedly tied the 5-year-old’s arms and legs together behind the child’s back and put the child on the floor in a cold, dark basement on July 21, court records show.

He allegedly struck that same child on the left side of the face, leaving the child with a bloody nose and black eye, and hit the child with a belt buckle, leaving bruises on the child’s buttocks, court records show.”

August 19 2010 | In the news | No Comments »

Next »