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Pinwheel ceremony brings awareness about child abuse

Tifton Gazette - 4/2/2018

April 02--TIFTON -- The Tift County Council on Child Abuse hosted its annual A Voice for All Children pinwheel ceremony Mar. 29 in front of the special programs building of the Tift County Recreation Department, located on Baldwin Drive.

The ceremony was attended by various local officials and volunteers, who planted 586 pinwheels in the ground to represent the 586 reports of children that have been neglected or abused in Tift County in 2017.

That number is up from 567 in 2016.

This year's keynote speaker was Tift County School Superintendent Patrick Atwater.

Atwater said that he is grateful that so many different organizations and individuals came out to support the event.

He read out some statistics from the school system to give scope to the problems faced by many of the children represented by the pinwheels.

According to Atwater, there are 51 homeless children currently in the school system. More than 101 children come to school without an adult to help or oversee them at home. One hundred and seventy-eight children have protective service orders filed on their behalf by school social workers.

There have been 140 cases filed involving child abuse or neglect and 208 safety plans filed for students who have suicidal or homicidal ideations. There have also been 247 referrals to mental health services and 347 referrals to community agencies.

"Don't make it just about the ceremony today," he said. "Every day you should make people in this community aware of the challenges, aware of the statistics. If we don't shine a light on the belly of the beast, who will?"

The Tift County Council on Child Abuse is staffed mostly by volunteers who believe that child abuse has no place in the community.

Anyone who suspects a child is being abused or neglected should call the Department of Family and Children Services at 229-386-3388.

Beth Lewis from the TCCCA reminded everyone about the Blue Ribbon Campaign.

The Blue Ribbon Campaign was started in 1989 by a grandmother from Virginia as a tribute to her grandson, a three year old who died at the hands of his mother's abusive boyfriend.

Supporters are invited to wear blue on April 6 as well as to purchase a blue ribbon to display throughout the year.

The blue ribbons can be purchased and displayed on doors and entrances to show support for the fight against child abuse.

The ribbons are $20 and may be purchased from any member of The Child Abuse Council or by calling (229) 382-5172 or (229) 388-1000.

All proceeds go to providing prevention and awareness programs in the community.

Follow Eve Guevara on Twitter @EveGuevaraTTG.

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(c)2018 The Tifton Gazette (Tifton, Ga.)

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