In April, Dakota County service centers and libraries will be adorned with blue ribbons and lawn signs to raise awareness of the problem of child abuse. The campaign, which runs through April as part of
Child Abuse Prevention Month, focuses on informing people of what they can do to prevent child abuse as well as providing a toll-free number (1-800-CHILDREN) to call for help.
The blue ribbon was first used in 1989 by Bonney Finney, a woman in Virginia, who took a stand against child abuse when she tied a blue ribbon to the antenna of her van. The blue ribbon symbolizes the black and blue bruises that covered the bodies of her grandchildren. Today, a blue ribbon is used to represent Child Abuse Awareness Month during April.
Lawn signs will be distributed free of charge to Dakota County residents through the Child Abuse Prevention Council, thanks to a grant from the Minnesota Children’s Defense Fund.
For more information or to request a lawn sign, contact
Jane Palumbo, 651-554-6123.