FAN Club

The Grey Bruce Friends and Neighbours (FAN) Club program is a children’s mental health awareness program using child-sized hand and rod puppets to discuss social issues affecting them. 

Goals & Objectives: 

• Puppeteer program designed to support, educate, prevent, and increase awareness of mental health issues for children. 

Is This Program for Me? 

• You are a teacher or administrator of children between 3 and 11 years of age. 

What We Offer: 

Using hand and rod puppets, skits are presented to children on issues such as attention deficit disorder, smoking and self-esteem to help promote mental health awareness and healthy lifestyle choices to the children. A typical presentation is 30-55 minutes in length (based on age of audience) and consists of introductory activities, a puppet skit, and a question-and-answer period. 

Recommended audience size is up to 3 classes at a time preferably split into primary and junior presentations. Minimum presentation is one, but typically FAN Club will visit 8 times throughout a school year (once per month, covering a different topic each month).  

Preschool Presentations 

• “Three’s a Picnic” – Learning about Friendship and Respect 
• “Simon Says” – Learning about Good Manners 
• “Halloween by Numbers” – Halloween Safety 
• “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire” – Fire Prevention and Safety 
• “Police are our Friends” – Community Safety 

Primary and Junior Presentations 

• “Wayne Gretzky is My Hero” – Coping with Bullies 
• “Lisasaurus Rex” – Dealing with “Girl” bullying 
• “No Brakes for Jason” – ADHD and how I am not different from you but different LIKE you  
• “Anchors Away” – The difference between secrets and surprises (the importance of disclosure) 
• “Not for Me” – Dealing with peer pressure (Prevention of underage smoking) 
• “Throwing out the Garbage” – Self-esteem 
• “Pulled Around” – The importance of talking about your feelings and/or coping with family change like divorce and separation (featuring information about the Rainbows program) 
• “Hot Potato” – Dealing with Anger  
• “The Peace Pennant” – For military families: Talking about Deployment 
• “Kathylocks and the Three Dads” – For military families: Talking about returning home 

How Do I Get Connected? 

To book a presentation or to become a volunteer puppeteer, please contact Jackie Ralph, Youth Awareness and Education Supervisor, by telephone at 519-371-3642 ext. 1216 (Toll-Free at 1-888-451-2642) or by email at [email protected]. 

While the majority of our FAN Club presentations take place in our local schools, FAN Club presentations are available to churches, private schools, homeschooling groups, summer camps, libraries, etc.   

Is There a Cost for This Program? 

There is no set fee for a FAN Club presentation, however, donations to “CMHA Grey Bruce” in care of the program are always gratefully accepted. A suggested donation is $100 per presentation. 

Is There a Waitlist for This Program? 

There is no waitlist for this program.  

Locations:  

Across Bruce and Grey Counties

Thank you to our FAN Club Sponsors: 

• Ontario Trillium Foundation  
• Bruce Power 
• United Way of Bruce Grey 
• Community Foundation of Grey Bruce 
• Ontario Power Generation 
• Kiwanis Club of Owen Sound 
• Eva Leflar Foundation 
• ETFO 
• Knights of Columbus 

Testimonials: 

“Thanks for coming to the group today! I just had to tell you that my son came home talking about sending letters to people he knows as Chatty Jackie said. He is very impressed that you were “at mommy’s work” today! Lol  

Thanks for being such a light! You reach so many!!”