April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to acknowledge the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse and neglect, and to promote the social and emotional well-being of children and families. During this month, the Woman’s Club of Merchantville and the Merchantville EMD, as a part of the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs, are working to create awareness about this issue through a series of special displays.
Members of both Woman’s Clubs will be planting pinwheel gardens by the Pennsauken Library, and in Merchantville, between Park and Maple avenues as well. In 2008, Prevent Child Abuse America introduced the pinwheel as the new national symbol for child abuse prevention through Pinwheels for Prevention.® Pinwheels by their nature connote whimsy and childlike notions, and have come to serve as the physical embodiment, or reminder, of the great childhoods we want for all children.
In addition, on Wednesday, April 5, there will be a Game and Card Luncheon at the Merchantville Community Center at noon to raise money for Prevent Child Abuse–New Jersey (PCA-NJ), an organization that works to promote happy childhoods, positive parenting and health child development. The cost is $10 per person.
Please contact Jan Hanson at (609) 410-4650 if you are interested in attending, or would like some further information.
For more information about PCA-NJ, please call (732) 246-8060 or visit www.preventchildabusenj.org.
