Wylie P. Cole, 74, a Native American who is retired from Christian education, is the first foster grandpa in the county to participate in the program in years, Belinda Scoggins, the program's area director for Sequoyah and Adair Counties, said.
"We're trying to promote men in the foster grandparent program," Scoggins said.
Scoggins said men usually think being a foster grandparent is a woman's job. Program leaders are trying to change that way of thinking and recruit more men as grandpas. Scoggins said there are currently two men in the foster grandparent program in Adair County.
Scoggins said the foster grandparents work with children in Muldrow, Sallisaw and Vian Schools. Cole, who started in February, is working with kindergarten students a Liberty Elementary School in Sallisaw.
Scoggins said Cole came into the program office wanting to help and she told him that he would be perfect for the program. Cole said he joined the program because he wanted to make a contribution.
"I found out later I was the only grandpa," Cole said with a laugh.
Cole said he has been involved in writing for many years, and plans on putting a book together of the foster grandparents' different experiences working with children. The book, a diary of a foster grandparent, will include stories about children and different anecdotes from the grandparents. Cole said the book will be owned by Cookson Hills Community Action Foundation, and hopes the book will be a good fundraiser.
"I've come to see the good being done in the program," Cole said.
Foster grandparents are stipend volunteers who provide support to special-needs children. They are assigned one to three children, serve a minimum of 15 hours a week, and those who meet income guidelines receive a stipend of $2.65 per hour. Each foster grandparent also receives a free meal each workday.
Qualifying grandparents must be at least 60 years old, in reasonable good health, and meet income guidelines to receive the tax-free stipend.
There are no educational requirements, and initial and ongoing training is provided.
Cookson Hills Community Action Foster Grandparent Program is a part of the National Senior Service Corps, and is federally funded by a grant from the Corporation for National Service. The program receives additional funding from the Aging Services Division of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services.
For more information about the foster grandparent program, contact Scoggins at (918) 775-9116.
