LANCASTER − Ohio Senator Tim Schaffer, R-Lancaster, said Fairfield County is fortunate to have the Harcum House child advocacy center Wednesday as he toured its future location at 216 Trace Drive.
"Not every county has this," he said. "Not every community has this asset available to families and to kids who need it. There's no greater feeling of satisfaction than to help a child from being harmed or if they have been harmed to help them restore themselves to good health. We can't do enough for them."
Harcum House is an organization that works with abused children. It serves about 450 children per year. Dave and June Harcum founded the organization in 2007.
Harcum House is currently located in a shopping center at 1147 E. Main St. Executive director Cody Tatum said the agency will start a fund drive to raise about $1 million for the move. The state is kicking in about $400,000 of that total. The agency is buying the building, which is a former medical office, from Fairfield Medical Center.
Tatum said there is no definite timeframe for when Harcum House could move. He said there are about 30 such child advocacy centers in Ohio.
"We're just so humbled and appreciative for this opportunity," Tatum said. "Harcum House has been working in our community since 2007. This is a chance for us to have permanency and together as a community build the center kids are going to use to overcome these tragedies when they happen."
Beth Harcum Dubberley is the daughter of Dave and June Harcum and is an emeritus board member.
"My parents would be thrilled," she said of the new building. "They would be so excited. My mom just passed away in December, and she knew we were going to be moving. She was very excited about it. Both of my parents were educators and they had been very big anti-abuse advocates for their entire careers. So the family is very proud."
jbarron@gannett.com
740-681-4340
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