Paws 4 Kids event planned for April 21, will include tying of blue ribbons

From the press release:

Asheville: THE BLUE RIBBONS ARE BACK!

Hundreds of children, adults, and dogs will be walking at Biltmore Park Town Square near the YMCA on Saturday, April 21 from 10 a.m. to noon to increase awareness and encourage involvement in protecting children and animals during Child Abuse Prevention month.

Child Abuse Prevention Services, Inc. (CAPS) and the Asheville Humane Society (AHS) are partnering with Paws 4 Kids/Walking Together to Protect Children and Animals from 10 a.m. to noon at Biltmore Park Town Square Saturday, April 21 with registration beginning at 9 a.m.

There will be music, blue bandanas for dogs, blue ribbons and blue pinwheels for kids, face painting (blue ribbon), photo booth, a raffle, pet for adoption from the Asheville Humane Society, remotes from Clear Channel by Kiss Country, and Star, McGruff the Crime Prevention Dog, a dog agility demonstration and more.

Just before the walk everyone will tie a Blue Ribbon on the trees to honor those children who have experienced abuse, and to demonstrate a community commitment to prevent abuse and protect all children (and animals). CAPS will also present the Blue Ribbon Award, Community Service Award and Media Award.

Those to be honored are Ray Bailey, County Commissioner and former AB Tech President, Paul Howey, Editor of The Laurel of Asheville and ‘driver’ for Jelly, his therapy dog with Paws on a Mission, and Barb Blake, Senior Reporter and Dean of the Newsroom at the Citizen-Times.

Sheriff Van Duncan, assisted by Paul Howey and Jelly, a therapy dog from Paws with a Mission, and young Abraham and Nolan Pospishil will cut a gigantic Blue Ribbon to start the event.

This year CAPS is asking walkers to make/recruit pledges or donations to benefit Child Abuse Prevention Services, Inc. and The Asheville Humane Society.

“The numbers are staggering — one in 5 children will experience abuse, half will be under 6 years old and tragically 4 children will die every day from abuse and neglect” said Bill McGuire, Director of Child Abuse Prevention Services, Inc. There are over 5 million children reported as abused/neglected in the US every year, over 125,000 in NC and 4,276 children right here in Buncombe County last year. Abuse crosses all lines and knows no boundaries. Usually the abuser is known to the child and often is someone who is supposed to love and protect them.

“But”, said McGuire, “child abuse is a preventable tragedy. That is why it is so critical to stop the hurt before it starts – to prevent child abuse, and to provide counseling for children who have experienced abuse so the hurt can stop and the hope and healing can begin. Behind each of those number is a face, a child – our future. And, hopefully through awareness we can break the cycle of abuse that breaks children’s hearts, their lives, and their spirit; and, all children can have a safe, healthy childhood free from abuse.”

The idea for Paws for Kids came from the fact that children and animals have a lot in common, deserve a safe and healthy life, and abuse should not be a part of it; and, from the story of Mary Ellen, a 10 year-old girl who was being physically and emotionally abused in New York City in 1874. A settlement house social worker tried to help, but there were no laws protecting children then. Eventually she sought help from Henry Bergh, President of the SPCA. Bergh went to the media, got the case into court, and the child was placed in a home for girls, then with the social worker’s mother. Shortly thereafter the NY Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Children was founded, which was the beginning of the child protection movement in America. Ironically, we had protection for animals long before protection for children. Now, with Paws for Kids, we can walk together to protect children and animals.

The blue ribbon became the symbol of child abuse prevention when Bonnie Finney, a Virginia grandmother took a stand against child abuse. She tied a blue ribbon to the antenna of her van after her grandson was fatally abused. It was a signal to her community of her commitment to involve everyone in the battle against child abuse. She chose blue after seeing her grandson’s battered blue body. Her action – the action of one person – has evolved into a national campaign with millions of blue ribbons across the country every April.

During April there will also be Blue Ribbons and literature at libraries, businesses, physicians’ offices, and churches. Caps will be presenting the prevention/personal safety program in city and county schools throughout the month, as well as providing “Becoming a Love and Logic Parent”. Earlier there were City and County Proclamations, and Blue Ribbon Night at the Tourists.

“On April 18 CAPS will host a viewing of the film “Searching for Angela Shelton” at UNCA. Sexually abused as a child by her father and stepmother and later placed in foster care, Shelton, a writer/actor, travelled the US in 2001 to interview other women who share her name. She found many of these other Angela Sheltons shared not only her name but also were victims of sexual abuse. She was thus inspired to make a documentary film in an effort to end abuse against women. Her mother Joan Shelton who lives in Asheville will be there for questions and answers following the film. UNCA Student Union/Highsmith Building, Room 221 (Lookout Mountain Room), 5:30 p.m.

Child Abuse Prevention Month is all about increasing public awareness, encouraging involvement in prevention, and trying to protect and do the best we can for all children – the future of tomorrow,” said McGuire, “this year we have animals too, as that is where it all started with Henry Bergh and the SPCA, and the story of Mary Ellen”.

“Increased awareness will result in more parents teaching their children personal safety, in true open communication, and of more reports and disclosures leading to cessation of abuse and counseling,” said Becky Brown, President of the Board of Child abuse Prevention Services, Inc. “Hopefully, working together as a community and individually, we can make a difference,” said Brown, “and one day all children, our most precious yet most vulnerable asset, can have a safe, healthy childhood, and we won’t need to be here. That would be the best of all possible worlds.”

Child Abuse Prevention Services, Inc. works to increase awareness, prevent child abuse, strengthen families, and assist children who have experienced abuse through personal safety education, crisis intervention/counseling, and parenting education.

Last year CAPS educated and empowered 7,500 children with skills to protect themselves through prevention education; provided crisis intervention/counseling to 500 children and families who gained the opportunity to stabilize, get through the trauma of abuse, and learn new coping skills; and helped several hundred parents acquire increased parenting skills.

For information or to become a donor of Child Abuse Prevention Services call (828) 254-2000, write to 50 S. French Broad Ave., Suite 152, Asheville, NC 28801 or email: caps@childabusepreventionservices.org or go to www.childabusepreventionservices.org