JUDGE: April is Child Abuse Awareness Month
I honestly believe one of the best things we could do is to eliminate the need for a Child Abuse Awareness Month, but here we are again. Some of this week’s article is carry-over from last year, but this is such an important issue that I felt inclined to lean on last year’s article to emphasize this dire need in our society. Children are our most valuable resources, they are our future, and unfortunately, they also tend to be our most vulnerable population as well.
April is Child Abuse Awareness Month and out of the myriad of things I get to do as County Judge, one of the most touching and heartfelt is to read my proclamation in support of Child Abuse Awareness on the lawn of the Courthouse. Children who are the victims of abuse, endangerment, and neglect and are often overlooked by our fast-paced society, but they shouldn’t be.
As I said in my proclamation, “child abuse and neglect affect both the current and future quality of life of a community,” and, “all children deserve to have the safe, stable, nurturing homes and communities they need to foster their healthy growth and development.”
We all are responsible to make sure that happens. Through our partnerships among citizens, human service agencies, schools, faith communities, health care providers, civic organizations, law enforcement agencies, and the business community; we must all play a part. Often, we say this and get lost in our own lives, but we must not let that happen.
On the grounds of the courthouse, we placed many blue pinwheels. These pinwheels represent the 170 or so Milam County kids who are placed in foster care or were victims of child abuse in the last year – 170 in Milam County alone! If you have not seen them yet, I recommend you go by sometime this week while they are still there. It is a very poignant visual.
The four agencies that we have in Milam County who deal with the needs of our children are the Milam County CPS Board, CASA of Milam County, the Children’s Advocacy Center of Central Texas, and A Place of Hope. All four of these Non-Profit agencies work to represent the children of Milam County, to provide the social support, impart the knowledge of child development, and provide the concrete resources the Community needs to ensure all children grow to their full potential. They need your help, whether monetarily or as a volunteer they need your help, for to help them is to help a child in need.
Children are our future, they are our promise, they are the loves of our lives, and they are the gifts that God has blessed us with. As the parents of eight children and the grandparents of two, my wife and I are truly blessed with a large, sometimes loud, extremely loving, blended family that makes everyday a special day that God has given us. Children truly are a blessing and while April is Child Abuse Awareness month, this should be a priority for us all, every day of every month.
As I have said since taking office, the safety and security of Milam County and its citizens should always be the most important thing to County Government. As your County Judge, I can assure you that this is my highest priority as well. As such, these children who are our most valuable assets, should always come first.
I know the task seems large and the idea that one person can make a difference surely seems like a cliché, but remember, while no single person can solve the whole problem, each person can play a part and it’s up to each of us to do our part. Maybe, just maybe, if each of us does our part then we can eventually come to a place where a thing like Child Abuse Awareness Month is no longer needed. I pray that day comes sooner rather than later.
Please consider donating either some of your time or money to these fine organizations, they always need our help. For contact information check out these organizations on their Facebook pages or call our office at (254) 697-7000 for contact information.