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Published on 08/21/1995 All articles from this issue

KidCall for 8/23 "Your Health"

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By Joanne Griffith Domingue / Town Crier Staff Writer

What's the difference between a flea and a dog?

A dog can have fleas. But a flea can't have dogs.

"We tell a tremendous number of jokes," said Erika Powelson, coordinator of the KidCall program sponsored by the Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford.

KidCall is a free, non-emergency telephone support line for children home by themselves which began in April, 1994.

"It's a definite success," Powelson, said. The volunteers who staff the phone lines have answered over 9,000 calls.

Children, ages 6 to 12, may call from 3 to 6 p.m., year round. Powelson publicizes the program by speaking in schools to students in grades three to six.

The volunteers, who answer the calls, have been screened and trained. The caller is allowed to remain anonymous. "We ask first names, so we can relate to them," Powelson, said. "But we don't get last name or addresses. We're never going to send their parents anything or put them on a mailing list."

Tammy Sterman, a 26 year old who has been a volunteer for seven months, said, "When a child calls, we read a story, ask about a child's summer, help with homework," She will return to school in the fall at the University of San Francisco to earn a teaching credential.

One little girl was fixing dinner and spilled on her shirt. To dry it, she put it in the microwave oven. It started to burn. She took it out, threw it on the carpet, and then the carpet began to burn.

"To singe, really," Sterman said. "She had the fire out. What she wanted was advice on how to clean the carpet and get the smell out of the kitchen.

"I walked her through the various cupboards in the kitchen and cleaning solutions that might work."

In three hours, 20 to 30 calls come to each of the three or four volunteers. They limit calls to two-three minutes each.

Over 70 percent of the callers just want to talk, Powelson said. "They aren't scared, just bored, and want to hear a friendly voice."

She said they never give advice and do not interfere with their pre-established family values.

But the kids love the jokes. Vince Gidaro, 36, volunteers to give something back because his father was treated for cancer at Stanford Hospital. He keeps the book, "101 Bug Jokes," close to the phone.

The 7-year-old girl who heard his flea joke laughed pretty hard. "It's very rewarding," he said, "to make someone laugh."

KidCall: 1-800-546-7549.