Steve Ranson / LVN
City of Fallon councilwoman Kelly Frost, left, and Churchill County Commission Chairman Pete Olsen present a proclamation declaring April as Child Abuse Prevention Month.
Both Churchill County and the City of Fallon have declared April as Child Abuse Prevention Month and used the opportunity on Friday at Millennium Park for speakers to say a few words about a problem that plagues every community and county in the United States.
Commission Chairman Pete Olsen and Councilwoman Kelly Frost, who stood in for Mayor Ken Tedford, read a proclamation on behalf of the two government agencies.
In essence, the proclamation stated, “Child abuse prevention strategies succeed because of partnerships created among citizens, human services agencies, schools, faith communities, health care providers, civic originations, law enforcement agencies and the business community.”
Steve Ranson / LVN
Pinwheels, the nation symbol for child abuse, have been planted at various locations in the city.
Furthermore, the proclamation encourages the safety for the community’s residents: “As America’s premier community, Churchill County has a goal to ensure public safety for our residents of all ages, and, in partnership with originations such as Prevent Child Abuse Nevada, seeks to provide services to protect the lives of our citizens.”
Olsen said more than 400 cases have been recorded in Churchill County based on the latest statistics from 2021. As he has done during previous ceremonies, he raises awareness for child abuse.
Pinwheels twirled in the gentle breeze behind Olsen and other speakers at the small park and also at other locations within the city. The blue and white pinwheel is a national symbol for child abuse prevention.
Sheriff Richard Hickox issued a call for the area’s resident to be more vigilant about reporting child abuse. Furthermore, he said the community must be the “Voice for the Voiceless.”
Hickox also posted an additional comment on the Churchill County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.
“Child abuse comes in many forms but is typically categorized into four types, physical, emotional, sexual and neglect.
“To bring an end to this problem we as a society need to recognize the signs that someone is being abused and report it to the proper authorities. We understand you might not want to get involved or file a report that turns out to be false, I ask that you call anyway.”
Hickox urged residents not to ignore the abuse but to report it.
Steve Ranson / LVN
Tracy Runnels is with the Churchill Community Coalition and a board member for Domestic Violence Intervention.
“We need to end the stigma surrounding talking about it and do what we can to help those victims of these actions,” he added.
Hickox, who wore a bright blue shirt to the ceremony, is encouraging others to wear blue on Fridays during April.
Churchill County School District Superintendent Dr. Summer Stephens said it’s important to reduce child abuse in the county, and she’s grateful for the partnerships that provide children everything they need.
“We do want the very best for each child we see today,” she said.
Stephens said the school district’s staff is trained for reporting possible child abuse. She added families are encountering more stress and pressure than before.
Both program manager Shana Clark-Pount from the CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) program and Tracy Runnels discussed their respective programs. CASA has volunteers who work toward one main goal and that’s to provide the best for children. Runnels is with the Churchill Community Coalition and a board member for Domestic Violence Intervention.
Clark-Pount, who attended the event at Millennium Park, brought Hank, the therapy dog, with her. She said CASA has 11 volunteers assisting with more than 20 cases involving children.
Runnels said the goal is to connect families and build positive behavior. She said community partners have contact the agencies for an extra pair of hands.
Steve Ranson / LVN
Individual attending Friday’s observance of Child Abuse Prevention month are, from left, Tiffany Josephs, Court Systems administrator; program manager Shana Clark-Pount from the Court Appointed Special Advocates program and Hank, the therapy dog; and Sue Sevon, Court Systems administrator.
