April 4, 2016 - In recognition of April being National Child Abuse Prevention Month, on Friday, April 8, 2016 at 4pm a ceremony will be held at the "Blue Ribbon Tree" on the square on the San Augustine Street side.
Shelby County Community Partners Rainbow Room, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), and Shelby County Children's Advocacy Center invite everyone to help tie a blue ribbon on the tree in recognition of each of the 90 confirmed victims of abuse in Shelby County during the past year, as well as for the 59 children in foster care, and the 1 child who died as a result of abuse.
Who holds the answer to child abuse?
We all do.
Preventing child abuse is not a responsibility that is only appropriate for parents and families. In fact, it is an action in which each of us can participate. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something...and together we can do anything! Together... we can prevent child abuse.
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month in Texas and across the nation. It is a time to focus on ways to not only protect children from abusive environments, but more importantly to prevent abuse from ever occurring.
Unfortunately, child abuse and neglect exists in our state and will not go away by simply ignoring it. It's up to each of us to arm ourselves with the facts, learn the warning signs and watch out for our most innocent Texans. It's up to all of us to prevent a child from becoming another heartbreaking statistic.
Story of the Blue Ribbon
The Blue Ribbon Child Abuse Prevention Campaign had its early beginnings following the death of a very young child. In spring 1989, Bonnie Finney, a Virginia grandmother received the devastating news that her beloved grandson had died of injuries inflicted by his parents. In an expression of her grief and outrage, this grandmother did something that has given us a symbol, around which we rally for the cause of child abuse prevention.
She tied a blue ribbon to the antenna of her van as a way to remember "the bruised and battered body of her grandson" and to alert her community to the tragedy of child abuse.
In Bonnie's own words: The blue ribbon serves as a constant reminder to fight for protection of our children. Please wear a blue ribbon. Put one on your car. Give one to your friends. Tell them what it means. You may save a child's life!
Her simple idea, to wear or display a blue ribbon to show support for her grandchild was picked up by grassroots organizations across the county.
The act of one grandmother thousands of miles away leads us to this day. Just think what could happen if each one of us helped to spread the word to a few of the people that we come in contact with each day. The groundswell of support that would follow just might be enough to move us towards the day when our homes and communities are completely safe.
