Social services to be featured on site

By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer

As part of an overarching effort to unify the community, a Web site featuring information on social help organizations is being developed.

Among other issues, community violence and the need to help parents care for children between 3 and 5 p.m. have led members of the Carbon County community to seek a centralized social help network.

The network could provide answers to seemingly increasing problems, said Stephanie Moles, director of The Woman’s Heart, an organization in Casper that provides physical and emotional aid to women and children struggling with abuse.

To address the need, Safe Homes, Safe Schools, Safe Communities, a committee formed to respond to bullying in schools, is working with The Woman’s Heart to create an online database of assistance organizations. Moles described it as a “home-grown Google with community flavor.”

According to Moles, the site is a tool to bring the community together.

“How do we get out of the problem and into the solution?” Moles asked. “It’s knowledge. And the Web site would provide that.”

Carbon County is among six counties to appear on the Web site, and it should be the first with its own home page. Moles made the decision because she saw a desire for community unity during her visits to the area.

Theresa Pacheco of Project Prevention provided the information for the site. Each year, she publishes contact information and lists of services for area organizations. Alcoholics Anonymous, Carbon County Public Health, the Rawlins Police Department, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Project Reach Early Intervention Center and Preschool, and Carbon County Child Development have appeared in the book’s pages.

Marilyn Vercimak, curriculum director for Carbon County School District 1, wants the information widely accessible.

“The site should have links on the county, city and school Web sites... any site where people go to get information,” she said.

Vercimak is overseeing the site’s progress, which is pegged for mid-May completion.
The Woman’s Heart plans to provide training on how to use the site and implement it, but funding should come from participating organizations.

“We want it to be viable, self-sustaining and hugely informative,” Moles said. Anyone who does not maintain their information will be removed from the database.