Etowah Lodge #222 Free and Accepted Masons in conjunction with the Dawson County Sheriff's Office will offer free fingerprinting for children during the 48th annual Mountain Moonshine Festival this weekend.

The festival is Oct. 24 and 25 in downtown Dawsonville.

The Georgia Masons provide the GA CHIP Program free of charge as a public service and as a gift to the citizens of the state, according to Mickey Gilbertson, a Mason and retired police officer.

Free screenings will be available from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the lobby of the Dawson County Law Enforcement Center.

The GA CHIP Program provides information to parents that they can give to the police in the event a child becomes missing.

The package includes a CD with photos, fingerprints, a video interview, demographics of the child and dental appliance consisting of DNA, scent and dental impressions.

"All of those are turned over to the parent," Gilberson said.

The GA Chip Program retains only the permission slip that parents must sign before their child can be screened.

All other data is permanently erased after the child's document is prepared.