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Protecting youngsters from online dangers is the "heart of the matter" for Heart Matters in Bartlesville--a Christ-centered organization that provides digital media safety programs for children, youth, and families.

Appearing on COMMUNITY CONNECTION, Penny Meadows and Dorea Potter with  Heart Matters announced a fundraising and community awarness event coming too The Center in Bartlesville on Thursday, October 30. at 6pm. that will shed the light on the dangers our children face online.

Penny Meadows said, "Heart Matters teaches digital media safety. We teach that to children, and we have parenting classes. Our fundraiser is an awareness night as well to let people know what's happening with our kids and what's happening with them online."

Dorea said, "It's called Guard Your Heart. And I think it's so important that people really realize what's out there. Whether you're a grandmother, whether you're a mother, whether you're a young person, it affects everybody, and we all need to be more aware." SHe added, "It's a steak dinner. We encourage you to come and find out more about what's really going on and how you can help make a difference in the lives of not only children, but really families in general too, how this affects the whole family as well."

Penny said, "Jaco Booyens is going to be our featured speaker. He's a well-known presenter. He's been very instrumental in legislation, both statewide and just nationally as well. And so we're very excited. He's been in this space for about 30 years. His sister was trafficked. And so after that, he jumped into how can we prevent this from happening to anybody else. it's so incredible to hear what's happening, you know, with what he and his group of ministries has accomplished and the legislation that has passed."

Penny shared with the audience on the program, "One of the things that we hear most from the kids is my parents don't have a clue what I'm looking at online, and they don't have a clue who I'm talking to. Every time I hear a kid say that, that just, that pulls on my heart because I was a parent and I was one of those parents that I didn't have a clue what my kids could be looking at online." She added, "My heart is reaching out to those parents and giving them the tools that they need to help navigate the internet world, the digital world that these kids are in. This is their world and we've got to enter into it.We don't have a choice. We have to enter into it and help protect our kids."

Tickets for Guard Their Heart can be found at https://www.heartmatters-ok.org/events

One of the sources of funding for Heart Matters is a resale store known as Tuesday House. If you've donated to Tuesday House, if you purchase from Tuesday House and if you volunteered at Tuesday House, all of that, all the proceeds benefit Heart Matters. If you want to donate to Tuesday House, call Tuesday House at 918-336-9154.