MoCHIP set for April 22

With more than 250,000 children processed through the Missouri Masonic Child Identification & Protection Program (MoCHIP) child ID program in 17 years, MoCHIP is clearly a presence in the community and vows to remain so.

MoCHIP consists of five major components: digital photographs, digital fingerprints, vital child information and emergency contacts, a dental bite and two laminated ID cards. The photographs, fingerprints and child data are burned onto a mini-CD which is compatible with the Amber Alert system. The dental impression provides a virtual diagram of the child’s biting surface, which is unique like fingerprints and further supplies enough saliva to provide a DNA sample that can be used as a scent source for trained canine search teams.

The Missouri Masonic family, Nodaway Lodge No. 470 AF & AM, will be hosting an event 10 am to 2 pm, Saturday, April 22 at the Maryville American Legion Hall, 1104 East Fifth. The local event contact is Marvin Harper, 660.562.8770.

On the day of the MoCHIP event, parents are urged to gather pertinent information such as doctor, dentist and emergency contact phone numbers, allergies, medications and parent work, cell and assorted phone numbers. Information collection forms and permission slips can be downloaded from the mochip.org website and filled out ahead of time. Height charts and scales are available at the event to facilitate the most current details regarding the child.

As would be expected, security and privacy are of utmost importance. All information and specimens are collected on site, processed and provided to the parent or legal guardian in an envelope. At the end of the day, databases are erased using state-of-the-art software. The only item retained by the Masonic Children’s Foundation is the signed permission slip.