THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 10, 1995 TAG: 9512070164
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 05 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH
LENGTH: Medium: 90 lines
CHRISTMAS is a time for children.
And in that spirit, an open house will be held next weekend that will provide funds for a new foster home for Dare County kids.
Known as The Wright Place for Youth, the proposed home will provide temporary care for abused or neglected children.
Dec. 16 and 17, Manteo's White Doe Inn will hold a Victorian Christmas open house to benefit The Wright Place.
Featured at the two-day event will be a visit from Santa Claus, who will read ``Once Upon a Christmas,'' a collection of stories by Pearl Buck. Visits with St. Nick are scheduled for 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday.
The cost of the story-time visit is $10, with proceeds going to The Wright Place. The visit includes a photo with Santa.
From 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, an open house will be held at the White Doe Inn. Light refreshments will be served, and a drawing for donated merchandise will be held. There is no charge for the Sunday event, but raffle tickets are $1 and donations are welcome.
Plans for The Wright Place grew out of North Carolina's State of the Child Conference, which led to the formation of the local Children and Youth Partnership.
``I think the momentum for The Wright Place came from the State of the Child,'' said Loretta Michael, executive director of the Children and Youth Partnership.
Plans for a foster facility got a major boost when the Dare County Board of Commissioners voted to allocate a portion of the revenues received by the county from liquor sales to a group home.
Last year, that would have meant $194,000 for the home. However, the local legislation must still be approved by the North Carolina General Assembly.
Jay Burrus, Dare County's director of social services, said the group home is needed for a number of reasons.
``First, it's real difficult to maintain relationships with their natural parents if they are in a foster home out of the county,'' Burrus said. ``It's also hard for the children to maintain contact with extended family and to maintain continuity in school. If you have to take a child out of things that are familiar, it's difficult. We have a legal and moral responsibility to reunite children with their families.''
An out-of-county foster home also taxes the resources of the Department of Social Services.
``If a worker has to transport a child out of the county, that means that worker is not available to do his or her job,'' Burrus said.
Along with the public support offered by the county, The Wright Place has received a helping hand from local builder Bob DeGabrielle, who donated the design and blueprints of the group home.
The group is continuing to look for a site for the home, which will house six children on a quarterly basis, 24 annually. There are currently 13 Dare County children in foster facilities.
Burrus said private and public support will be needed to build the home.
``This is a great example of how government and the community can work together,'' Burrus said.
``These children who will be helped by the home are in abusive family situations or they've been neglected, or some are just abandoned. Child welfare shouldn't just be a concern of social services. It's a concern to all of us. It's going to take the entire community working together to keep these kids from falling through the cracks.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by DREW C. WILSON
Teaming up to organize the fund-raiser at the White Doe Inn in
Manteo are, left to right, Jay Burrus, Bebe Woody, Nan Willis and
Loretta Michael.
WHAT, WHERE & WHEN
What: A Victorian Christmas Weekend.
Where: The White Doe Inn, Sir Walter Raleigh Street, Manteo.
When: Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 16 and 17.
Why: To benefit The Wright Place for Youth, a proposed foster
home for abused and neglected children.
Highlights: Santa Claus, fresh from a visit to Asheville's
Biltmore House, will be on hand for a Saturday Story Time at 11
a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. For $10, children will be able to visit with
Santa and get their picture taken. On Sunday, an open house at the
White Doe will feature light refreshments, a home tour and a raffle
of donated items. The Sunday event is free. Raffle tickets are $1.
Proceeds go to The Wright Place for Youth. For reservations, call
473-4709.
KEYWORDS: FOASTER CHILDREN OUTER BANKS by CNB