BEING HOME ALONE TO BECOME LESS SCARY.

Byline: Sharon Cotal Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - An empty house can be lonely - and sometimes scary - for latchkey kids, but by the end of March, a child home alone after school will have a friendly voice to call.

The Phone-A-Friend program is being reactivated to connect latchkey kids with senior citizens they can telephone between 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. on school days.

Begun in August 1998, the program was put on the back burner after a year or so.

``I think it's a good program,'' said Susana Campbell, coordinator of volunteers for the city's Community Services Department, who is working to get it going again.

A training session for interested senior citizens will be held at 3 p.m. Feb. 21 in the Senior Center at 22900 Market St., Newhall.

She hopes seniors who were previously in the program will return.

At the training session, senior volunteers will brush up on sensitivity to children, listening skills and appropriate responses to a child who is afraid or upset. More training sessions will be held as more seniors show interest in becoming involved, Campbell said.

``Our volunteers will be prepared to answer almost any question, be supportive and help these kids out, even if the kids are just goofing off. They don't have to have a reason, they can call just to chat,'' Campbell said.

Calls will be received on two phone lines that have been set up in the computer room at the senior center. Fliers explaining the program and including the number to call will be sent home from school with kids when the program is in effect.

``It connects seniors with kids, giving the seniors contact with someone who needs them, and giving the kids a friendly voice to talk to when they can't get in touch with mom or dad,'' Campbell said.

Seniors who are interested in participating in the Phone-A-Friend program can call Campbell at [phone].