Georgia Masons provide the Georgia Child Identification Program, or GACHIP, free of charge as a public service and as gift to state residents.

The next giveaway, sponsored by Hinesville Lodge No. 271 F&AM, takes place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Mike Reed Chevrolet, 1559 E. Oglethorpe Highway in Flemington.

GACHIP is one of the most comprehensive child recovery, identification and abduction awareness programs available for Georgia parents.
At a GACHIP event, Freemasons set up the equipment to generate completed identification kits.

Each person progresses through several stations, taking about 10 to 15 minutes for the entire process. The recorded information is presented to the child's parent or guardian to take home for safekeeping.

There is no age limit.

GACHIP provides a valuable tool for the parents or guardians on a small computer disk that includes:
• Full-color digital photographs showing various poses of the child: These color photographs can be circulated by the police to the media in the case of abduction and can be used in the Amber Alert program.
• A complete set of digital fingerprints: Each person has a unique set of fingerprints, which are a well-known tool for recovery, investigation and identification.
• DNA and scent: The swift recovery of a missing person can be aided by tracking dogs.
• Information about the child including: Distinguishing features such as hair and eye color and scars. The disk will also contain contact information for parents or guardians.

All of the identifying information collected at the event about the child is given to the child's family. The GACHIP program retains only the permission slip that must be signed prior to participation in the event. AII other data are permanently erased after the child's document is prepared.

Georgia Masons provide the Georgia Child Identification Program, or GACHIP, free of charge as a public service and as gift to state residents.

The next giveaway, sponsored by Hinesville Lodge No. 271 F&AM, takes place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Mike Reed Chevrolet, 1559 E. Oglethorpe Highway in Flemington.

GACHIP is one of the most comprehensive child recovery, identification and abduction awareness programs available for Georgia parents.
At a GACHIP event, Freemasons set up the equipment to generate completed identification kits.
Each person progresses through several stations, taking about 10 to 15 minutes for the entire process. The recorded information is presented to the child's parent or guardian to take home for safekeeping.
There is no age limit.
GACHIP provides a valuable tool for the parents or guardians on a small computer disk that includes:

• Full-color digital photographs showing various poses of the child: These color photographs can be circulated by the police to the media in the case of abduction and can be used in the Amber Alert program.
• A complete set of digital fingerprints: Each person has a unique set of fingerprints, which are a well-known tool for recovery, investigation and identification.
• DNA and scent: The swift recovery of a missing person can be aided by tracking dogs.
• Information about the child including: Distinguishing features such as hair and eye color and scars. The disk will also contain contact information for parents or guardians.
All of the identifying information collected at the event about the child is given to the child's family. The GACHIP program retains only the permission slip that must be signed prior to participation in the event. AII other data are permanently erased after the child's document is prepared.