Farmer Funeral Homes News & Events

H.L. Farmer & Sons are proud to sponsor the 4^th Annual Sing out against Child Abuse on April 18^th, 2:00 pm at Sacred Hearts Church Bradford.

For Application go to www.haverhillexchangeclub.com

and go to the Sing out against child abuse link. Dateline March 1, 2010.

Farmer & Sons/Bethany Bereavement and Resource Center and Merrimack Valley Hospice are co-sponsoring the following programs:

Co-facilitators are Lois Marra and Nancy Thornton

All groups are free. Pre-registration is requested.

For more information or to register please call Lois at 978-552-4537 or Nancy at 978-374-9257

A monthly bereavement support program

2nd Monday of the month 6-7:30 p.m.

Loss of Spouse

Educational and supportive program for seniors

Monday afternoons

1:30 to 3:30 pm

A "Moving On" program

for older widows and widowers

2nd and 4th Tuesdays

1:00 to 3:30 pm

Loss of an Adult Child

Tuesdays now until May 12th

3:30 to 5:00 PM

Adults Experiencing the Loss of a Sibling

Wednesdays now until April 29th

6:00-7:30 pm

Adult Children who Have Experienced the Death of a Parent

Wednesdays May 6-May 27

6:00-7:30 pm

City's Exchange Club targets cyber safety

By Paul Tennant
ptennant@eagletribune.com

November 15, 2009 12:10 am

—

HAVERHILL — Cyperspace — the information superhighway — provides a gold mine of information at the press of a button and without having to leave your desk.

It is also a minefield of criminal activity that wasn't even dreamed of a generation ago: cyber-bullying, pornography and enticing minors to have sex, among others.

The city's Exchange Club is adopting as one of its top causes the protection of young people from such threats. The club, a civic group of volunteers, has plans to teach parents and children how to protect themselves.

Richard Barry, president of the New England District of Exchange Clubs, said the local club will offer a pamphlet for families that promotes Internet safety and raise funds for a series of presentations in the community.

Carrie Kimball Monahan, community outreach coordinator for the Essex District Attorney's Office, is providing expert advice to the Haverhill Exchange Club. She met with club members to talk about the challenges of fighting Internet crime and how children can protect themselves from cyber predators.

Monahan stressed that parents should be aware of just what their kids are doing when they go online. The children themselves also need to beware of the dangers of the Internet, she said.

The decades-old warnings against talking to strangers or getting into a car at the request of someone you don't know must be extended to the Internet, text-messaging by cell phone and e-mailing, Monahan said.

Parents should make sure their children understand that "an adult having sex with a child is not normal," she said.

Surfing the Internet or text-messaging for the purpose of having sex with a child age 15 or younger is against the law, Monahan pointed out, but in order to prosecute such predators, "The child has to tell someone. The child needs to tell somebody this is happening."

Also, "They (victims) have to know they're not getting into trouble," she said.

Cyber-bullying — using a cell phone to text-message a person and intimidate him or her — often causes emotional damage, but it can be prosecuted, she said.

Much of Monahan's message was common sense. For example, "sexting" — sharing nude photos via cell phone — is illegal. Those who send such photos can be charged with producing or distributing child pornography. Young people who send revealing pictures over the Internet or via cell phone need to understand that they could be distributed everywhere, Monahan said.

Facebook is an area where bullying and enticing take place, she warned.

"This idea that it's private is ludicrous," she said.

Barry said the Exchange Club will raise money for the literature and presentations.

"We're providing things to our community that the city can no longer provide," he said.

The York Children's Foundation, which is affiliated with Matthew Casket Co., has donated $1,000 for the effort, and that has been matched by Brian Farmer, head of H.L. Farmer and Sons Funeral Homes.

Cyber safety Web sites

www.kidscom.com — Teaches kids about Internet safety.

www.funbrain.com — Kids have fun learning on this page.

www.kidsgames.org — Fun, entertaining games for young kids.

www.shockwave.com — Games for kids.

www.neopets.com — Virtual pets.

www.clubpenguin.com — Operated by Disney.

www.kids.gov — Great for parents.

www.highlightskids.com — Like the magazine Highlights.

www.kidgrid.com — Articles and games for kids.

www.netsmartz.org — For teens, kids and parents.

www.4kids.org — Games geared toward education.

www.ikeepsafe.org

www.linerider.com — Fun, safe game.

www.disney.com — Games that are Internet safe.

www.notdoppler.com — Lots of games for kids.

www.pbskids.org — Based on popular PBS programming.

www.americangirl.com — Great for girls ages 5 to 10

www.missoandfriends.com — For girls ages 10 to 13

www.thekidzpage.com — Games for ages 7 to 11.

www.nick.com — Nickelodeon's Web site (games).

www.yahooligans.com — Homework help and games.

www.playkidsgames.com — Educational games.

www.cybertreehouse.com — Teaches kids to be safe.

www.webwisekids.org — Internet safety for parents and teens.

www.webkinz.com — Young children take care of virtual pets.

www.noggin.com — Safe and educational.

www.nickjr.com — Games for young kids.

www.allstarbuddies.com — Games such as basketball, baseball. www.club.live.com — Games for both girls and boys.

www.postopia.com — Very kid-friendly, with multiple games.

www.homeworkspot.com — For students, teachers, parents. www.safe-game.com — Free, safe and cool online games.