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TherenownedAmericanCulturalAnthropologistMargaretMeadsaidx1cNeverdoubtthatasmallgroupofthoughtfulcommittedcitizenscanchangetheworld.Indeeditistheonlythingthateverhas.x1dInathousandyearsIwouldneverbeabletowriteamoreappropriatestatementaboutthefoundingofBaldRidgeLodge.BaldRidgeLodgewasconceivedintheheartsandmindsoftwoForsythCountyciti-zensTheHonorableJudgeCharlieSmithandMr.BuddyLang.DuringameetingoftheirRotaryClubitwasbroughttotheirattentionthatnoagencyexistedinForsythCountytoservetheneedsofboyswhoarehomelessabusedneglectedorat-riskofendingupinjail.JudgeSmithandBuddymadeadecisionthatthiswasunacceptableandmadeittheirmissiontoseethatahomewasmadefortheseboys.Theymadethecommunityawareoftheneedandthecommunityrespondedbrilliantly.BaldRidgeLodgex19sdoorsopenedtoitsrstresidentin2008.ThroughtheamazingdedicationandgenerosityofJudgeSmithBuddyLangandcountlessotherstheirdreambecameareality.BaldRidgeLodgeisanonprotstatelicensedchild-caringinstitutionthatservesupto12boysages12to17.ResidentsofBaldRidgeLodgehavebeenremovedfromtheirhomebytheDepartmentofFamilyandChildrenServicesorForsythCountyJuvenileCourt.ThemissionofBaldRidgeLodgeistoprovideasafe-havenandcounselinginatherapeuticenvironmentforboyswhoareinneedofprotectiondirectionandsupervi-sioninamannerthatnurturesthechildstrengthensfamilyrelationshipsandallowsthecommunitytocarefortheirown.TofullyunderstandwhatisrequiredtooperateafacilitysuchasBaldRidgeLodgeonemustaskafewfundamentalquestions.WhatdoesittaketocareforachildHowmuchdoesitcostsWhatneedsmustbemetOnanygivendayBaldRidgeLodgeservesbetween9and12boysrequiringsupervision24hoursaday365daysayear.Itismyhopetohelpyouthereaderunderstandwhatisrequiredtoprotectandenrichthelivesofthechildrenthatweserve.MynameisJohnHaigler.IamtheExecutiveDi-rectorofBaldRidgeLodge.IbeganmycareerasacasemanagerwiththeDepartmentofFamilyandChildrenServicesinvestigatingallegationsofabuseandneglect.Ihaveworkedinresidentialcaresince2006rstincrisisstabilizationforadultsfollowedbymanagingprogramsandgrouphomesforadultswithdevelopmentaldisabilities.IwashiredtotakeovertheoperationsofBaldRidgeLodgeinAugustof2010.TobeginwithIwantyoutounderstandthatthesechildrenarehurting.Whentheyreachourdoorstheyhavebeenthroughmorepainfearandsadnessinafewshortyearsthanmostofuswillinalifetime.Thesechildrenneedloveandsupportinallaspectsoftheirlivestohaveanychanceofasuccessfulfuture.Inordertoserveourresidentsproperlywemustaddresstheirneedsholistically.IamoftenaskedbypeoplethatImeetifallwedoisprovidefoodandsheltertoourresidents.Thisisacommonmisconceptionaboutlicensedresidentialchild-caringin-stitutions.AllchildrenuponadmissiontoBaldRidgeLodgeareseenbyaphysicianwithin72hoursofarrivalforafullphysicalwhichincludesdentalvisionhearingItTakesaVillagebyJohnHaiglerJohnHaiglerExecutiveDirectorCountyLineFebruary2012www.CountyLineMagazine.net12