Worcester County Foster Parents Commended

SNOW HILL — The Worcester County Commissioners formally kicked off May as National Foster Care Month by naming Rick and Anne Rambo as Foster Parents of the Year.

The commission also took the opportunity to congratulate social workers in the county for all that they’ve done for children in the past year.

Commissioner Judy Boggs presented the Rambos with a commendation to highlight the event and thanked them for their unique service.

Boggs has served on the Social Services Advisory Board (SSAB) for eight years and was quick to praise her fellow board members and the other employees of Worcester’s social service industry as well as the county’s network of foster parents.

“I can attest to the good work they do,” she said.

According to Boggs, Worcester is relatively unique in how much attention is given children who have been displaced from their homes. Children are sent birthday cards and given gifts during the holidays as well as being invited to parties hosted by the SSAB.

“There’s a very, very caring, committed group of people who work in that department,” said Boggs of the county’s social services.

Boggs added that Worcester had an impressive track record of placing children into a family environment.

“We’ve never had a significant number of children living in group homes,” Boggs said.

Additionally, Boggs brought up another special practice that she believes sets Worcester above many other counties. She explained that whenever a child has to be removed from their home, everyone connected to that child is contacted and asked what can be done.

“It keeps the child, in most cases, in a support system,” Boggs said.

Some members of the community are willing to go a step further and Boggs stated that she was surprised by the wide variety of people who are willing to become foster parents. Families that already have children are some of the usual candidates as well as couples that not only have children of their own but grandchildren as well.

The Rambos are a blended family themselves, having both two biological children and two foster children. Boggs called them “an extraordinary family”, and Commission President Bud Church admitted to being incredibly impressed by the impact the Rambos were having on numerous foster children.

“You don’t need a commendation, you need a medal,” he said.