Town Raises Flag For Child Abuse Awareness Month

On April 1, 2022, Amherst held flag raising ceremony to mark Child Abuse Awareness month. On March 21, the Town Council passed a proclamation declaring April as Child Abuse Awareness month. The proclamation was sponsored by councilors Lynn Griesemer (President, District 2) and Mandi Jo Hanneke, along with community sponsor Marlene Musante, a member of the board of the Children’s Advocacy Center.

The proclamation states:

WHEREAS, April was first declared “Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month” by Presidential Proclamation in 1985; and 

WHEREAS, the month of April is devoted to celebrating activities to transform communities into places that care about families and children; and 

WHEREAS, child abuse prevention is a community responsibility and finding solutions depends on involvement among all people; and 

WHEREAS, communities must make every effort to promote programs that benefit children and their families; and 

WHEREAS, effective child abuse prevention programs succeed because of partnerships among agencies, schools, religious organizations, law enforcement agencies, and the business community; and 

WHEREAS, Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month is about connecting all of the above so that solutions to child abuse may be achieved. 

NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Amherst Town Council, declares the month of April to be Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month and further recognize this Proclamation by raising the Child Abuse Prevention flag from April ___, 2022 to April 30, 2022 to help cultivate awareness for all residents of Amherst. 

This is the second year that the council has commemorated Child Abuse Awareness month. The Select Board had issued such proclamations as far back as 2012.

For more information on Child Abuse Awareness Month and child abuse prevention look here and here and here.