Make A French Connection

Whether you are a genuine Francophile or one whose French experience consists of an occasional crepe or baguette, your family will benefit from hosting a French teen through the cultural exchange program Loisirs Culturels a l’Etranger.

LEC, a Paris-based non-profit organization, is looking for host families to befriend 60 French students visiting the Pacific Northwest for a month in July or August.

“We strongly encourage host families with teenagers for a peer influence,” says Mary Benham, Spokane coordinator for LEC. “Each host family is given an opportunity to review a variety of student profiles to choose the very best match for their family.”

Exchange students speak English, are fully insured and bring their own spending money. Host families provide room and board, as well as a willingness to include the student in family activities. A French chaperone will be available in the area for questions that may arise during the visit.

The month-long homestay is unstructured and open-ended, giving families the opportunity to plan their own itineraries with the students. Some LEC-planned activities will be available to allow exchange students and host families to meet as a group and share experiences.

For additional information or to request an LEC Host Family application, call Mary Benham at 747-0692.

Support for Single Parents

The Single Parent Outreach Connection (SPOC) serves more than 5,000 single mothers and fathers in Spokane County each year, providing information, referrals, advocacy and outreach.

One of SPOC’s programs places single parents receiving public assistance (who are job-ready) into non-paid internships with several Spokane businesses.

These internships, open to individuals who possess two-and four-year college degrees, provide useful work experience which is often a prerequisite to gainful employment.

The Single Parent Outreach Connection is located in the Northeast Community Center Association, 4001 N. Cook, in Spokane. For more information call 483-4478.

Baby-sitting basics

Boys and girls, fifth grade and older, are invited to attend “Baby-sitting Basics” on March 23, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Holy Family Hospital Women’s Health Center, 235 E. Rowan, TAF C-23.

Taught by community health educators, class topics include responsibilities of baby-sitters, infant and child CPR, child safety information, and discipline issues.

Participants are asked to bring a sack lunch. The one-day course is $15 and pre-registration is required. For more information, call 482-2477.

Parenting class

Holy Family Hospital offers a class designed to prepare parents for the challenges of raising a child from birth through age 5.

“More Yes, Less Stress … The ABC’s Of Parenting” is an eightweek class on Thursdays, beginning April 4, 6-7:30 p.m., at the Holy Family Hospital Women’s Health Center.

Instructor Mary Dell Ranch, M.Ed. uses interaction in a group setting to teach sound child-rearing principles.

The cost is $30 each or $40 per couple, which includes a handbook. Pre-registration is requested; call 482-2477.

, DataTimes MEMO: Send Family Track items to Lynn Gibson, Features Department, P.O. Box 2160. Spokane, WA 99210-1615, or fax (509) 459-5098