Swanner Awarded Grant to Increase Awareness of TLC Line

Pamela Swanner, of Cape Girardeau, was recently awarded a "Step Up to Leadership" mini-grant by East Missouri Action Agency. Her grant proposal, The Heartland Warm Line Awareness Project, won funding in the amount of $500. This project focused on increasing awareness of the Warm Line, operated by the Community Counseling Center Consumer Advisory Board, through a newspaper ad, brochures, and t-shirts to be worn by members of Community Counseling Center's Clubhouse softball team.

The Warm Line has undergone a recent name change, and is now known as the TLC Line. The TLC Line is not a crisis line, but rather a resource for individuals who may need information, support and reassurance, or simply someone to take the time to listen to their concerns. Employees of the TLC Line are mental health consumers who have been specially trained to work in this capacity. The TLC Line is available every evening, including holidays, from 4 - 10 p.m., and can be reached by calling 651-3642 in the Cape Girardeau calling area, or toll-free 1-877-626-0638.

Swanner completed the 12-week Step Up to Leadership class in July. She chose her project, which integrated the TLC Line, Community Counseling Center, and CCC's Clubhouse because of her experiences with those programs. She hoped to increase community awareness of the TLC Line, to increase the volume of calls, and also believed the team shirts would help the Clubhouse team players feel more positive and proud about their participation on the team. Swanner had been employed by the TLC Line for two years and started attending Clubhouse in the 1980's. Carol Cochran, manager of Clubhouse, commended Pam on completion of the class, and noted that the team shirts would inspire the enthusiasm, cohesiveness, and team spirit of the softball team. Nancy Johnson, Coordinator of the TLC Line, stated that "No one can have any more passion for Community Counseling Center and the difference it can make in your life than Pam, and she has the heart to give back" to the agency. Judy Johnson, Clinical Director at Community Counseling Center, added that "Pam is an enthusiastic worker. When she gets a good idea, she pursues it doggedly."