Contact:
American Red Cross RI
Marisa Albanese
albanesem@riredcross.org
401-831-7700ext101
BCBSRI
Kim Keough
Kim.Keough@bcbsri.org
401-459-5601
COORDINATOR OF YOUTH PROGRAM OFFICE HONORED FOR
WORK WITH CHILDREN
Gloria Fairbanks of Warwick recognized as “Community Hero”
(July 27, 2007; Warwick, RI) – Today’s youth face many pressures and challenges, and offering them a safe and comfortable environment where they can discuss those issues is key to lending help. Warwick’s Youth Program Office, led by Gloria Fairbanks, has enjoyed great success since its creation seven years ago by Mayor Scott Avedisian. The program started as an after-school program in local schools using grant funding, and has grown into a much larger endeavor, including a three-week summer camp.
This is why Fairbanks, the first ever coordinator of Warwick’s Youth Program office, has been named the Community Hero for the month of July, an award presented by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) and the American Red Cross Rhode Island Chapter.
The after-school programs grew and thrived for Warwick elementary school children. With this great success, it became evident that a program was necessary for the middle and high school students in Warwick as well. With Avedisian’s support, Fairbanks included the older students by creating Adventure Camp, partnering with the National Guard, the Champlin Foundation, and Warwick’s Police and Parks and Recreation departments to offer local children a fun and different summer camp experience. The camp has grown to include approximately 40 children in each of the three sessions.
“It’s not just about working with the children while they are in school; there are deeper issues involved,” said Fairbanks. “We needed to get to the root of the problem and hope to solve the issues by working with them outside of the classroom environment.”
“Gloria has dedicated years to the children of Warwick and we are fortunate that she has been an innovative and creative problem solver for children in our city,” said Avedisian, who nominated Fairbanks for the award.
Fairbanks explains that at the inception of the office, she and Mayor Avedisian shared the same philosophy and could see the issues families were facing. With 26 years of experience with the City of Warwick, Fairbanks attributes the success of the program to the partnership between the city council, the schools and the parents.
The Community Heroes Program is a collaborative effort between BCBSRI and the American Red Cross Rhode Island Chapter. Community Heroes can be everyday citizens, local firefighters, Good Samaritans or emergency responders. The award can honor a single act of heroism (such as saving someone from drowning) or for an effort performed over time (such as serving in a food bank on a regular basis). If you know someone who has made a positive impact in our community, nominate him or her for a Community Hero award by calling 401-459-1304, or visit www.riredcross.org or www.bcbsri.com and click on “In the Community.”
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island has been the state's leading health insurer for 68 years and now covers more than 680,000 members. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
The American Red Cross Rhode Island Chapter is a humanitarian organization, led by volunteers, that provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. All Red Cross disaster assistance is free. The Red Cross is not a government agency and relies on private donations to provide emergency assistance to Rhode Islanders in crisis.
###