Event to end child abuse
Diane McCusker and Laurie Faith appeared before the Town of Bath council at the meeting Thursday evening, February 23 to enlist the town’s support for an event in Hancock on Saturday, April 28 to help end child abuse.
A 2 mile walk, 5K run, Bike-A-Thon and other varied activities are planned for the day in Widmeyer Park.
McCusker handed out a packet of information to Mayor Susan Webster and Bath council members, and then introduced Faith, her daughter, to speak to the council.
“I am going to start off by saying four children die every day as a result of child abuse,” Faith said. She went on to say that one of those children was her great niece who died on January 3, 2010.
“She was five weeks old, her name was Bella Apple, and she was beaten to death. When Bella was beaten her voice was taken away. She couldn’t even cry. We want to be the voice of all these children,” Faith said.
One in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused during their childhood, she said.
Money raised from this year’s event will go to Safe Place Child Advocacy Center of Washington County and Safe Haven Child Advocacy Satellite Center in Morgan County.
Money will also go to Starting Points and to both the Eastern Panhandle and Washington County chapters of BACA, Bikers against Child Abuse. Faith called Starting Point and BACA “wonderful organizations.”
She asked the town to put up blue ribbons along town streets during April which is Child Abuse Awareness Month.
McCusker said she would supply blue ribbons and posters for town businesses if the town would do the footwork to get them put up.
Bath Police Chief Craig Pearrell volunteered to place a blue ribbon on every parking meter. Webster agreed to help get posters around to town businesses.
Event schedule
Registration will begin Saturday, April 28 at 8 a.m. in Hancock at Widmyer Park.
Lighting of memorial candles for victims who have lost their lives to child abuse will begin at 8:45 a.m.
The 5k run will start at 9 a.m. The two mile walk will start at 10 a.m. Both run and walk will be held on the Western Maryland Rail Trail.
The Bike-A-Thon will begin in the park at 11 a.m., starting at the basketball court and proceeding around the park.
Awards for all three events will be held at 1 p.m.
Also starting at 1 p.m. will be live entertainment provided by area bands.
The park will be filled with awareness groups offering free literature and give-a-ways, cake auctions, door prizes, raffles, and a variety of food and ice cream vendors will be on hand.
Volunteers are needed to help with the event. To volunteer or for more information, contact Diane McCusker at 301-678-6167 or Laurie Faith at 301-678-5977.
