Dear Editor:
April is “National Child Abuse Prevention Month.” Sadly there are children in our own community who are victims of child abuse.
Every year our council puts one pinwheel for every child who was reported abused in our county. This year we will be putting up 124 pinwheels. We place them in the courthouse lawn.
This year we will also be putting up blue ribbons throughout the town. The blue ribbon campaign was started by Bonnie Finney in 1989 to remember her grandson Michael, who was beaten to death by his mother’s boyfriend. She started handing out blue ribbons to people to tie on their cars because she said the color blue reminded her of the bruises her grandson had.
As residents of Switzerland County it is all of our responsibility to make sure our children grow up safe and happy, without the threat of being abused. After all, a childhood should be one of happiness and laughter, not one of tears and pain.
The Switzerland County Prevent child Abuse Council would like to encourage all Switzerland County residents to tie a blue ribbon on their vehicles to help remember these children. Also we would like them to join us on April 1st at 4:30 when we put up the pinwheels and tie ribbons in town. At 5:30 we will meet at the Switzerland County DFC on Ferry Street. We will then have a candlelight “rememberance” walk through uptown, making one round through Ogle Park and ending back at the courthouse lawn.
Ruth Haberle, Secretary
Switzerland County Prevent Child Abuse Council