Event to mark awareness month

The McLean County Child Abuse Prevention Coalition, along with its partners will commemorate the start of April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month at a joint press conference at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, March 30th at the McLean County Museum of History (Old Courthouse), 200 N. Main St., Bloomington.

Guest speakers will be Prevent Child Abuse Illinois Executive Director Denise McCaffrey. Weather permitting, attendees will gather on the lawn in front of the Old Courthouse following the event to plant blue pinwheels, one of the national symbols of child abuse prevention. We will also have Proclamations read from the Mayors Offices from Bloomington and Normal.

Child Abuse Prevention Month has been observed each April since its first presidential proclamation in 1983. Since that time, millions of Americans have participated in this national campaign. Individuals, organizations and communities across the United States plant pinwheels, tie ribbons, organize trainings, host fundraisers and support a multitude of other activities celebrating healthy, happy childhoods and raising awareness that all children deserve to grow up in nurturing, safe homes.