Students create awareness of child abuse prevention
Posted 4/10/02

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. The Mille Lacs County Family Information Network (F.I.N.) has been working with area schools to increase awareness and prevention of child abuse.

Students in 4th and 5th grade at Milaca Elementary School recently created posters promoting child abuse prevention.

Milaca businesses, including Dairy Queen, Hardeeís, Hobnettiís Pizza, and Little Dukes, donated gifts for the poster contest winners.

The winning posters will be displayed at those businesses that donated prizes. Hobnettiís Pizza will also display additional posters during the month of April by turning them into placemats. The remaining posters will be displayed throughout the community at local businesses.

F.I.N. is also sponsoring a family activity, a "blue ribbon hunt," for residents to participate in. Ten blue ribbons have been placed throughout the community and on each ribbon is a message about preventing child abuse.

The object of the hunt is to find all ten blue ribbons. Children finding all the messages, who have completed their form, will receive an invitation to an ice cream party in May at the Milaca Elementary School. Schools throughout the county are participating in this event.

Forms were sent home with elementary children who attend Milaca Elementary. Forms can be obtained at the elementary office, they must be completed by the end of April and turned in by May 1.