HOT PURSUIT

For several decades the Exchange’s national project has been focused on preventing child abuse. And that mission is no more evident than close to home.

On Monday, members of the Exchange Club of Owatonna—one of three Exchange clubs serving the area—tied blue ribbons around trees throughout the community. It’s all to create awareness in preventing child abuse. They want to make sure all children and families are living a purposeful and happy life with hope for the future.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, an annual observance to educate people about the importance of protecting children from abuse and neglect.

The three local organizations support the Exchange Club Center for Family Unity, which has been focused on child abuse for 40 years. Beth Hortop is the current director for the Center. There isn’t a stronger community resource than the Center to handle this significant societal issue.

Gail Buckingham, who serves as Lakes and Prairies District president, points out how the scholarly-reviewed model allows child abuse prevention experts to work directly with at-risk families to create impactful change.

In last week’s edition, we highlighted Child Abuse Prevention Month on a special page. There are several key community resources available for prevention services. They are Exchange Cub Center for Family Unity, South Central Human Relations Center and Crisis Resource Center of Steele County. They are all working to provide prevention services and supports so children can be protected and families strengthened.

Elsewhere in this week’s edition, Hortop, whose Center serves five area counties, shares some helpful insight into preventing child abuse. She is featured in this week’s Steele Talkin’ column on page 1B.

National statistics show more than 618,000 children were found to be victims of maltreatment in the U.S. last year. Behind each of those numbers are real children facing real challenges. There are four types of maltreatment: neglect, physical abuse, mental injury and sexual abuse.

Child abuse and neglect are serious public health problems. They can have long-term impacts on health, opportunity and wellbeing. The estimated cost of abuse and neglect is about $592 billion.

Exchange members and others are on the forefront to ensure children are safe, remain with their families when safe to do so, receive services so children can return safely home and live in safe and stable homes with relatives whenever possible.

It should serve as a comforting thought that there are groups like the Exchange Club in our community working hard to combat child abuse. But they can't, nor should they be expected, to do it all alone.

Now it’s up to all of us to go in hot pursuit of building a hopeful future together.