CAPE GIRARDEAU – Southeast Missouri Network Against Sexual Violence (SEMONASV) has formed a new partnership with the Discovery Playhouse Children’s Museum. Starting in April 2022, SEMO-NASV’s Green Bear Project will have its own corner in the Southeast Health exhibit called Green Bear Junction.
In the new exhibit the program’s mascot, Green Bear, along with his sister Tiffy Bear, will guide families through the topic of child abuse prevention in a fun and educational atmosphere. Green Bear Junction will have activities for children of all ages, including a scavenger hunt, coloring pages, puppet show, trivia game, and videos.
Caregivers can also find helpful tips and conversation starters for personal body safety discussions with their children throughout the exhibit. SEMO-NASV’s Executive Director, Kendra Eads, knows how important abuse prevention education is to the public.
“Statistically, 1 in 10 children will be abused before they turn 18. We have over 57,000 children in southeast Missouri, so based on those statistics over 5,700 children are at risk,” says Eads. Early education is key, she went on- “Starting early in life we give children safety tips on so many things wearing seatbelts, what to do in a fire- we need to be giving messages to kids about personal body safety as well.”
Michael Toeniskoetter, the Executive Director of the Discovery Playhouse, thinks the partnership is a perfect fit, “Partnering with SEMO-NASV’s Green Bear Project just made sense, as it fits perfectly with our mission to “create a learning laboratory” for all of the region’s families. My hope for this program is that it can help educate adults and children to be better protected.”
The Green Bear Project was founded by Leasa Stone in 2001 in memory of Baby Ty, a little boy who died from being abused. The project’s primary mission is to provide child abuse prevention programs to local schools and communities to educate children, parents, teachers, other professionals, and community members.
Families can visit Green Bear Junction during regular museum hours, Tuesdays through Thursdays 10 AM to 5 PM, Fridays 10AM to 7PM, Saturdays 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sundays 1 to 6 p.m.
For more information on how to visit Discovery Playhouse, visit https://www.discoveryplayhouse.org/.
For more information about the Green Bear Project, visit https://www.greenbearmo.org/.