Brown County Commissioners approved a proclamation declaring the month of April Child Abuse Prevention Month.
Kitty Cavanaugh of the Brown County Child Welfare Board read the proclamation which stated that there are nearly 225,000 children in Texas that are reported as abused or neglected every year and over 17,000 are in foster care.The proclamation states that child abuse prevention is a community responsibility and that finding solutions depends on involvement among all people. It encourages support of programs that benefit children and their families. It also states that effective child abuse prevention programs succeed because of partnerships among agencies, schools, religious organizations, law enforcement agencies and the business community.
The proclamation urges all citizens “to work together to help reduce child abuse and neglect significantly in years to come.”
The Child Welfare Board encourages the public to wear a blue shirt, dress, tie, or ribbon on Fridays in April to show support of Child Abuse Prevention Month.
As a reminder to the community, the child welfare board asked and received approval to post signs and a “pinwheels for prevention” display at the front and back entrances of the Brown County Courthouse as a reminder of this special cause. The sign at the south entrance is accompanied by pinwheels. Similar displays are also located at two major traffic intersections, Heartland Mall and other businesses around the area.
Volunteers from the Brown County Child Welfare Board (and many other organizations) will be at Heartland Mall on Saturday, April 27th sharing information and raising donations for the Rainbow Room by selling raindrops for $1 (which is a tax deductible donation). Monetary donations may also be mailed to the Child Welfare Board at P.O. Box 836, Brownwood, Texas 76801.
Pictured above are Child Welfare Board members Rhonda Roark, Susan Gilger, Cindy Hadley, Colton Wood, Kay Wilson, and Kitty Cavanaugh, along with Family Services Center representatives Doak Givan (executive director) and Jill Evans with County Commissioners Joel Kelton, Wayne Shaw, and Larry Traweek and County Judge Ray West. Not pictured is Gary Worley. Below is a photo of the pinwheel display and sign at the courthouse.
