Empowering our youth

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Daily Sun photo/Deanna Brown VOICE Inc. board members display the MacBook Pro and Apple iPhone 3G which will be raffled off Feb. 18. Pictured left to right are Marco Rodriguez, Tim Stites, Dr. Toni Brown, Sina Ruiz, Faith Holt, and Chief Randy Bratton.

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January 26, 2010

VOICE, Inc. fund-raiser supports local programs of agency

Deanna Brown Corsicana Daily Sun The Corsicana Daily Sun Tue Jan 26, 2010, 09:20 PM CST

Corsicana — For over 20 years, VOICE Inc. has empowered children and families, with training and knowledge to live better, more productive lives.

You, too, can be a part of making a difference through VOICE Inc., by purchasing a raffle ticket to win either a MacBook Pro, or Apple iPhone 3G. The tickets are $20, and this fund-raiser, which began Tuesday, will run through Feb. 16, with the drawing to be held Feb. 18. Winners will be notified by telephone.

“The money raised will be used to support local programs in Navarro County by VOICE Inc.,” said board member Dr. Toni Brown. “VOICE Inc. affected 15,000 individuals last year, and I firmly believe for the most part, the programs offered are life-changing for the children and the families.”

Brown said the raffle is being held in lieu of the men’s luncheon VOICE normally hosts each year.

“It is an opportunity for more people in the community to participate, because anyone can buy a ticket,” she said. “The luncheon may leave out people who can’t get away from work, or who work out of town.”

Brown is the raffle chairman, but to purchase tickets, or get more information, contact Gina Dieterichs at the VOICE Inc. office by calling (903) 872-0180, or e-mail her at gdieterichs@voiceinc.org. The office is located at the Bank of America Building, 100 N. Main St., Suite 308.

VOICE Inc. was founded in 1989 by the late Lois Jean Hart, in an attempt to prevent tobacco, alcohol and drug use. Programs of VOICE Inc. include school-based drug prevention, school-based teen pregnancy prevention education, family summer programs, spring break programs, healthy family programs and leadership development programs.

Children and families served in 2009 numbered over 15,000, and live in Navarro, Freestone, Limestone, Henderson and Hill counties. Of those served, 10,291 youth participated in school-based drug prevention; 237 adults attended multi-session classes for the purpose of strengthening and building parenting skills; and over 300 children and families participated in summer enrichment activities provided by VOICE.

Over 350 Spanish speaking children and adults participated in the La Voz para la Familia program; and 240 children and adults were involved in a program over spring break which promoted healthy lifestyles.

VOICE Inc. will host a spring luncheon for women on April 22 to kick off the Derrick Days festivities.

“On the evening of April 22, we will partner with the Navarro Council of the Arts for Mystery in Tuckertown,” Dieterichs said. “And we do a summer fund-raiser in Kerens.”

Money raised from the raffle will go toward furthering the programs offered by VOICE, such as “Too Good for Drugs,” “Worth the Wait,” a school-based abstinence program, Corsicana Summer Freedom School, La Voz para la Familia, “Training Our Own Leaders” (or TOOL), and other programs.

“VOICE is very responsible with the funding they receive,” Brown said. “The community benefits very much from the programming offered by VOICE.”

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E-mail Deanna Brown: deanna@corsicanadailysun.com