PBC Youth Affairs to Hold Ninth Annual Resource Fair August 7

Solving Community Violence

The public is invited to attend the ninth annual Resource Fair hosted by the Palm Beach County Division of Youth Affairs. This free event will be held Monday, August 7, 2006, from 9 am to 4 pm at the Highridge Family Center, 4200 North Australian Avenue, West Palm Beach.

The theme this year is “Meet the Challenge and Create a Safe Community,” with opportunities to participate in finding solutions to youth violence. The public is invited to attend and participate in panel discussions and enjoy family activities on-site. Several guests will appear in discussions including:

• Teen Panel, 9:30 am to 11 am, will have teens discussing struggles with drugs, violence, peers, parents, schools and means of resolving community violence, moderated by Shahzia Hashmi of the Criminal Justice Commission.
• Keynote Speaker Gregory R. Johnson will give the featured address from 1:30 pm to 2 pm. Mr. Johnson is the Assistant Secretary of Prevention & Victim Services with the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.
• Adult Panel, 2 pm to 4 pm, will feature adults discussing what organizations are doing to stop the violence and address the Teen Panel’s concerns, moderated by Diana Cunningham, Director of the Criminal Justice Commission.

There will also be many exhibits and displays by community organizations, and family activities such as face painting, fingerprinting for children, breakfast and lunch, visits by McGruff the Crime Dog, Sparky the Fire Dog, and Buttons the Clown. The Palm Beach County Health Department will provide free immunizations for children under 18 from 9 am to 2 pm.

Who: Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners
PBC Public Safety Department - Youth Affairs Division
What: Ninth Annual Resource Fair
When: August 7, 2006; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Highridge Family Center, 4200 North Australian Ave, WPB
Contact: Celester Barton, (561) 625-2534