MOULTRIE, Ga. — For 13 years, the Criminal Justice Program at SRTC-Moultrie has gathered teddy bears and other stuffed animals annually to provide comfort for the young clients of the Hero House Children’s Advocacy Center in Moultrie. 

The Hero House works to minimize the trauma of child victims of sexual abuse and severe physical abuse by responding to their immediate and longer-term needs in a child-friendly, safe environment, Hero House Executive Director Regina Dismuke said. 

“After a child has been interviewed, we offer them a teddy bear or other stuffed animal to comfort them,” Dismuke said. “It can be scary and hard to talk about an abuse scenario and the children find comfort in a stuff animal. They are able to look at all the toys and make their own personal choice which also gives them a much-needed sense of control.” 

Tara Rakestraw founded the initiative when she became a criminal justice instructor at Moultrie Technical College in 2008 (SRTC was created in 2015 by a merger of Moultrie Tech and Southwestern Technical College in Thomasville). Rakestraw became Dean for Academic Affairs School of Professional Services in 2020. This year, she entrusted new criminal justice instructor Benjie Nobles with the project. 

Before SRTC, Nobles was a former superintendent of the Turner Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Facility with the Georgia Department of Corrections. Nobles expanded the initiative by inviting members of the community to join SRTC students, faculty, and staff in the project. The CA Gray Junior High School National Junior Honor Society, Moss Farms Diving Tigers Team, Autry State Prison, Georgia Department of Corrections, and Edward Jones Financial Services Firm joined the effort to provide for the child victims. Together, they donated 238 stuffed animals to the center. 

“This was an excellent example for future criminal justice professionals and our students of what it means to become stewards of public trust and to serve our community, stakeholders and other agencies,” Nobles said. “Thanks to all those that helped and donated. Thanks to Dean Rakestraw for entrusting me with this project and to the faculty and students of SRTC’s Early Childhood Care and Education program for gathering the most.  I looking forward to coordinating other community service projects.”