MYCHIP Booth Will Be at Town Day, June 2

The Winchester Town Day Committee welcome individuals and families to enjoy a day of browsing exhibits, playing games, competing in athletics, eating, listening to music, attend the health fair and watch the grand finale, fireworks. While the celebration is of upmost importance (Winchester Patch will have more on Town Day as it draws closer), there is one serious public service announcement from the Winchester Police and the Masons.

“Every year at Winchester Town Day, The William Parkman Lodge A.F.A.M (Ancient Free and Accepted Masons) a Winchester Masonic Lodge, sponsors a MYCHIP event.,” Winchester Detective Paul DeLuca said. “The booth is located in the Public Safety Building, Fire Apparatus Bay. The MYCHIP event runs from 10am until 2pm or longer if needed.”

The MYCHIP (Masonic Youth Identification Program) provides tools to help law enforcement authorities find and identify lost or missing children. The Masons of Massachusetts, partnered with the Massachusetts Crime Prevention Officers Association and the Massachusetts Dental Association, donate MYCHIP resources to make this service available to the public. None of the information is copied and all of the identifying materials are given to the child’s family.

Awareness for the MYCHIP program became more popular after the abduction and murder of Molly Bish in the summer of 2000. The Molly Bish Foundation along with the National and Massachusetts Amber Alert Systems are dedicated to providing safety education, awareness and prevention of missing and exploited children.

“We provide free materials to any interested parties,” DeLuca said. “They include brief videotaped interview that can be quickly distributed to the media in order to reach a huge audience. Fingerprinting is a well-known means of identification. Resourceful parents keep fingerprints available should the need arise. A tooth print bite impression is quick and easy. Teeth, like fingerprints are unique. A dental imprint gives both accurate and important information for identification purposes. And, a Q-tip is gently rubbed on the inside of a child’s cheek to gather DNA material.”

The and Bish Foundation Booth that will be
located at 30 Mt Vernon St. "The MYCHIPS program has identified more than 275,000 children since its inception in 1988, and it continues to assist families today," DeLuca said.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this years MYCHIP event to be held on Town Day, June 2, 2012, please contact the William Parkman Lodge MYCHIP event coordinator, Paul DeLuca at 781-729-1340 ext. 305 or by email at pdeluca@winchesterpd.org.