Dr. Patricia Raymond

Located off the beaten path about a mile north of Kampvilla RV Park and its prominent landmark, a giant yellow dinosaur, the Bear Lake center is one of two Migrant Head Start centers in northwest Lower Michigan that are gearing up for the growing season, said Patricia Raymond, State Head Start director.Opening and closing on a timetable determined by area crops, the centers here and in Suttons Bay provide a safe educational environment for children 2 weeks to 5 years whose parents will spend the summer working in local orchards and fields.

Unlike regular full-time employees who get at least six weeks of maternity leave, "migrant workers don't have that luxury," Raymond said.

"Most are two-parent families and they're working out in the field so there are very limited resources to take care of their children.This keeps children out of the fields and it keeps them safe," she said.

The centers are among 17 seasonal head start centers around the state that are funded by the federal Department of Health and Human Services and operated by Telamon, a private non-profit corporation that provides programs to those in need, especially migrant and farm workers, Raymond said.

Dr. Patricia Raymond
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Dr. Patricia Raymond

Dr. Patricia Raymond is currently the Director of the
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Dr. Raymond was awarded her BA at the Newport College - Salve Regina and her PhD at the University of Rhode Island, Kingston. Dr. Raymond was unable to attend the Workshop because of illness. Judging from her paper, her presence would have enriched our discussions a great deal.

Patricia Raymond Director

Phone Number (517) 323-7002

Patricia Raymond, Head Start director for Telamon Corp., said the boys are making a tremendous impact on the lives of the children in the Michigan Migrant Head Start program.

She said all the dental items that are being collected will be distributed through the Migrant Head Start program that provides educational care to the children in Michigan while their parents work Michigan's fruits and vegetables fields.

Telamon staffers suggested that the boys collect toothbrushes for the children this year because last year they collected a variety of books for the Telamon Migrant

Head Start in Oceana County and they wanted to help again.

"That experience sparked them to want to help some more this summer," Raymond said."It's our intention to have each child with a toothbrush, and we will be able to expand that program to adults."

She said the boys have come in once a week for the past two to three

weeks to deliver dental products for the kids and their parents to use.

"For our program we promote dental care, but we have limited funds to provide dental care," Raymond said.

Patricia Raymond, state director for Telamon, told U.S. Rep.-Fred Upton, R-St.

Patricia Raymond

Director Patricia RaymondDirector's Email Address praymond@telamon.org