Mitten tree to provide warmth for two local agencies

POLO – Oh, mitten tree. Oh, mitten tree. How lovely are your branches? So true when decorated with a combination of colorful, soft, warm and even fuzzy – although beneficial – unique ornaments.

The Polo Woman’s Garden Club is sponsoring another “Mitten Tree” this year in conjunction with the Polo Pharmacy, 111 E. Mason St., to collect gloves, mittens, hats, etc., to be distributed to people in need of winter wear.

People are encouraged to drop in and drape the tree with appropriate items, which will be shared between two organizations. In turn, they will distribute items to individuals or families they know to be in need this year.

The two groups are Hope of Ogle County and the Shining Star Children’s Advocacy Center. Both groups provide important and diversified services to people in Ogle County and to others when needed.

Hope of Ogle County supports an emergency and temporary shelter in Rochelle for victims of domestic violence and abuse. It is not considered a permanent or ongoing homeless shelter.

“Hope” also is associated with a group that provides shelter and care to pets of people coming to stay at the shelter.

Executive Director Rebecca Laudati said the group’s mission is to advocate on behalf of adults and children who are victims of domestic violence.

“It is a year-round problem,” she said. “One in every 3 women and 1 in every 7 men are victims of domestic violence. Since the 1960s, the problems have become more public and now seen as criminal acts. Last year, we provided 13,950 hours of support services to 770 clients within Ogle County, plus some outside of the county.”

In addition to the emergency shelter, counseling and other assistance is offered through offices located in Rochelle, Oregon and Polo. Children can receive counseling from age 5. Although not attorneys, legal advocates are staffed in both the Rochelle and Oregon offices to direct clients on legal issues.

Face-to-face counseling can be set up through a telecourse provision, and a 24-hour hotline is available for assistance when needed. The hotline phone number is 815-562-8890.

The Shining Star Children’s Advocacy Center, located in Commerce Towers in Dixon since 2002, has some powerful words built into its mission statement.

“Transforming child abuse into survivors” is what it thrives to do. As an agency that covers both Ogle and Lee counties, it receives referrals from law enforcement in various towns or from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services directly, requesting follow-up services for a child or children who allege being physically or sexually abused by someone.

The organization works with children between the ages of 3 and 18 who have experienced trauma.

If counseling is needed, Shining Star provides therapy services at its facility.

Since July 1, it has received referrals for 106 new children from law enforcement or DCFS, Executive Director Jessica Cash said. She recommends that people calling to report child abuse should contact the police department or call DCFS at 800-ABUSE.

Contacts to Shining Star can be made by phone at 815-284-1891 or through the group’s Facebook page or website at www.shiningstarcac.org.

Both Shining Star and Hope of Ogle County offer help to those in need but always can use support from others who volunteer their time, effort or whatever they have to give.

The tree will be undecorated by Jan. 1, and “ornaments” will be delivered to where they can be most useful.

The Polo Pharmacy is open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday and is closed Sunday.