KIDS Center announces The Blue Ribbon Campaign in Central Oregon for April. Bonnie Finney of Virginia started the Blue Ribbon campaign in the spring of 1989 in memory of her grandson, Michael Dickenson. The three-year-old died at the hands of her daughter’s abusive boyfriend. Bonnie tied a blue ribbon to her car symbolizing the blue of her grandson’s bruises and encouraged her community to do the same.
KIDS Center brought the campaign to Central Oregon in 1997 to raise awareness of the epidemic of child abuse in our community. In addition to awareness, the Blue Ribbon Campaign also focuses on educating individuals and groups on how to better protect children in their lives, as well as our community from child abuse.
Almost 50,000 blue ribbons along with educational materials will be distributed throughout the community in April. People are encouraged to get a blue ribbon from local businesses and wear it to show support for the awareness and prevention of child abuse.
KIDS Center is excited to honor four community partners for their outstanding commitment to child abuse prevention in Central Oregon: Girl Scouts of Oregon and SW Washington, Buckingham Elementary, Umpqua Bank and For The Children of Crook County.
KIDS Center (Kids Intervention and Diagnostic Service Center), a non-profit child abuse intervention center serving all of Central Oregon, served over 1,637 children and families in 2013. KIDS Center is dedicated to the prevention, evaluation and treatment of child abuse.
A number of events are scheduled during the month of April. www.kidscenter.org 541-383-5958.
