Children’s Advocacy Center of Cherokee County hosted a number of local community leaders and dignitaries last week to officially proclaim April as Child Abuse Prevention Month.

The program was held at the current CACCC headquarters. However, citizens were invited to tour the new facility, located in the home of the late Martha Jo Jordan following the ceremony.

Attendees were asked to prominently display their blue ribbons throughout the month to remember victims of child abuse. The theme, this year, according to Lori Lumsden, executive director, Children’s Advocacy Center of Cherokee County, is Be a Hero.

“I know that we all have heroes in our lives that made a difference in our lives, made an impact iun our lives,” noted Lumsden, “We still look up to our parents. If something is broke daddy can fix it or if something is hurt, mama can fix it. We always look to our parents as being heroes.”

“I would like to recognize a few of you as heroes,” said Lumsden. “We call on people all the time to come to our rescue, people who go get chairs for us, donate, people who always seem to rise to the occasion. A lot of people don’t seem to realize how myuch that means to us. It is not just monetary donations, not just funding, but people who really care when you reach out.”

Other heroes, Lumsden said, include her co-workers, board members, district attorney’s office, and others who help to improve the lives of children in anyway.

Representatives from each municipality then officially signed a proclamation naming April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in their areas. They included Councilwoman Billie Burkhalter representing Cedar Bluff, Mayor Tony Wilkie representing Centre, Tina Rowland representing Gaylesville, Mayor Ed Mackey representing Leesburg, Commission Chairman/Probate Judge Melvyn Salter representing Cherokee County and Mayor Bill Glenn representing Sand Rock.

Lumsden explained the pinwheel display in front of the Advocacy Center headquarters. Each pinwheel represents a child served by CACCC.

She introduced Milton Jackson who presented the center with two $18,000 checks.

“It is a distinct pleasure for me to be here today,” said Jackson. “This lady (Lumsden) has been a long time grantee of the Children’s Trust Fund. I don’t have to tell you she does a wonderful job.”

“As far as Chairman Richard Lindsey is concerned and Sen. Larry Means are concerned, you guys could not have better heroes or better champions in your corner,” Jackson continued. “They are there continually and we appreciate them so much. Not because they see that the programs are funded. But on top of that, they are nice, wonderful guys that you enjoy having contact with and being friends with. We appreciate that so much and we appreciate the staff here.”

“I have had the personal pleasure of coming and doing sight visits here and it is always a joy because I love North Alabama,” said Jackson. “It is a wonderful place. I feel like Centre may be a perfect name for this. It is the center of everything that is good and wonderful in this area.”

As for the $18,000 grants, Jackson said, one is for the CACCC school-based programs and the other is for the CACCC Parent Enrichment program.

“This (programs) brings about children being able to live with parents or live with a parent in their home and have a good environment and good home,” noted Jackson. “It kind of reminds me of Wadsworth when he wrote that poem where was talking about what a joy it was to do things for children. He said, when you do a favor for a child, bells ring and Heavens streams, but when you do something to provide them with a good home, you build palaces in Kingdom Come. This is what these folks do on a daily basis.”