You may remember “The Stand Against Child Abuse” several years ago having a steady wall of people holding signs and blue balloons along both sides of Frederica Street. The event waned, was stalled a few years, and then came back three years ago as a partnership between DCBS (Department for Community Based Services) and GRADD (Green River Area Development District) Community Collaboration for Children.
“We decided at that point to make this event more of a gathering in a centralized place rather than lining Frederica Street,” said organizer Michelle Baize. “We wanted The Stand to be more informational, so we invited community partners to come and bring information about what they do and how they can help struggling families. We invited the media to come out in order to spread the word to others who were unable to attend. We also made sure to have activities for the children so it was a safe, fun environment for families.”
This year’s Stand will take place Thursday, April 30th from 4:30 – 6:00pm along the 3800 block of Frederica Street (in front of the former Texas Gas building). Activities for children will include: face painting, bounce house, balloons, bubbles, snow cones, and much more!
According to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, there were 808 children in Owensboro & Daviess County that were victims of child abuse and neglect in 2013. “Do I think that The Stand Against Child Abuse will cause that number to decrease…I have no idea,” Baize said. “However, if one parent was able to get connected to a resource they needed, or one person was able to learn more about helping a family they are worried about, or one family was able to get out and spend some quality time together then I believe The Stand is a great service to this community.”
Baize says the importance of bringing awareness to child abuse and neglect is so that people know what to be looking for in order to protect children. “This is not a job the Cabinet can do alone. We rely on the community to assist us. We also want people to know what they can do if they suspect abuse or neglect. Also, if a parent is feeling overwhelmed in their parenting role we want to be able to share with them what services are available in order to hopefully prevent any abuse or neglect from occurring.”
To show your support, please join The Stand on April 2nd. For more information, to register an informational booth for your organization, or to order a t-shirt, contact Michelle Baize at (270) 687-7491, ext. 2510.
