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This year’s campaign theme is, “Early Years are Learning Years.”
“Our community isn't necessarily aware of the amazing impacting quality early childhood education can have on children, especially children who are at risk because of poverty or other risk factors,” said Shelly Mascari, Lake County Child Care Planning Council Coordinator.
The Lake County Child Care Planning Council launched an extensive campaign to get the community involved. Paper dolls, handmade by children from ages 2 to 12, can be seen hanging in the windows of many homes and local businesses around the lake.
“Approximately 98 percent of the child care programs in Lake County, along with several elementary school classrooms, participated,” said Mascari. “They received large paper dolls that they used in an art project as a reflection of their self image.”
The dolls, along with a flyer, stated that the business is a proud supporter of Lake County’s children and families.
Aside from the dolls, a Board of Supervisors proclamation and a flag raising in Library Park occurred earlier this month. The flag raised was “the flag of the missing child” and is a practice done nearly nationwide, said Mascari.
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has many different resources available for those who care to get involved in their communities.
One in every 20 children is a victim of abuse in California. For more child abuse statistics visit http://ca.rand.org/stats/health/childabuse.html and www.childwelfare.gov.
“In Lake County, the numbers are higher,” said Mascari through the loud speaker at the beginning of the first child abuse awareness advocacy walk, which took place on April 10 and stretched along Main Street from Natural High to Library Park in Lakeport.
The theme for the march was the color blue for child abuse awareness and crazy hats. A crowd of 250 people were registered for the event and made their way down Main Street in Lakeport around 11 a.m. The curbside parking was closed off for the safety of the demonstration and people driving by honked to show their support.
Participants were required to register, either by phone or on site the day of, but there were no fees. Better yet, there was a free children’s art festival at the end point – Library Park.
The festival featured a jump house, music by DJ Dre, and tent-booths with kids’ art in exchange for donations. There were also craft activities like painting for kids and information about family resources, advocacy and child abuse prevention. The music and festivities attracted even more people as the morning went on.
“I believe several programs were going to use the money to help pay for their fun preschool graduation ceremonies, for the children entering kindergarten next year,” said Mascari.
The following organizations had tents set up at the art festival: Early Connection Preschools in Lakeport and Kelseyville, Lake County Office of Education After School Program – Burns Valley, Garrison's Family Child Care, North Coast Opportunities, Head Start – Lakeport , Head Start – Upper Lake, First 5 Lake, Redwood Children's Services, California Highway Patrol, Americorps, Lake Family Resource Center, Health Start, Department of Public Health, Children's Health, Lake County Child Care Planning Council and Easter Seals.
The Lake County Child Care Planning Committee’s mission is to ensure the availability and accessibility of high-quality child care for the families and children of our community.
If anyone would like to get involved in child abuse prevention activities, the Children's Council is the county's child abuse prevention council, and is open to all interested residents, Mascari said. They also have child abuse prevention packets available. For more information, call 707-262-4146.
If anyone would like to get involved with advocating and working for quality, accessible child care for Lake County's children and families, please contact the Lake County Child Care Planning Council at 707-994-4795 or visit their Web site at www.lakecountychildcareplanning.com.
For more information about Child Abuse Prevention Month and Week Of the Young Child, visit http://www.naeyc.org/woyc/resources .
E-mail Tera deVroede at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf .
