CAMP ZAMA, Japan – U.S. Army Garrison Japan leadership and community residents gathered on Camp Zama Monday to take a stand against child abuse and neglect as part of the Child Abuse Prevention Month campaign observed in April.
Col. Marcus Hunter, USAG Japan garrison commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. David Rio jointly signed a Child Abuse Prevention Month proclamation during the ceremony to call for a community-wide effort and emphasis on protecting the community’s most vulnerable population – its children.
The ceremony, which the Army Community Service Family Advocacy Program team hosted, was held in the garrison headquarters building and featured several speakers who explained the necessity to build awareness and increased usage of available resources to prevent abuse and neglect.
Nicole Martinez, a Family Advocacy Program specialist, welcomed attendees and explained that their presence helped show “that we are here for one another and care about our future, which starts with protecting children.”
She said she recently discovered a quote by an unknown author that she found impactful when addressing abuse and neglect, and she shared it during the ceremony.
“The only way to end child abuse is to not turn away,” she quoted. “To not let children navigate the darkness alone. To walk with them, believe them, support them, fight for them, love them, help them, and uplift them.”
Jennifer Luera, FAP specialist, helped explain the significance of the blue-ribbon lapel pins attendees were given during the ceremony.
Luera said the use of the blue ribbon to symbolize the effort to end child abuse dates to 1989, when a woman in Norfolk, Virginia, tied a blue ribbon on her vehicle to bring attention to her grandson’s tragic death due to abuse. The woman, Bonnie Finney, explained that the ribbon was a daily reminder so she would never forget the tragedy. But it also gave her the chance to tell her grandson’s story – a personal campaign against child abuse.
Luera said that Finney’s friends, neighbors and other community members quickly joined her in the campaign, displaying thousands of blue ribbons. The local effort expanded across the state, and eventually across the nation.
This month, in honor of Finney’s original effort, Camp Zama’s Family Advocacy Program team is asking community residents to wear blue every Friday during April – and to wear the lapel pins.
“Ladies and gentlemen, if one person with a passion to raise awareness was able to start a national blue-ribbon campaign, I am excited to see what a tight-knit community such as Camp Zama can do to raise awareness,” Luera said.
During his remarks, Hunter said the ceremony was an important way to “focus our minds and efforts – to put into perspective what it means to take awareness and turn it toward action.”
“We have the resources, and we have the personnel to help these families,” he said.
He also expressed his appreciation to the military parents in the community for their dedication and service to the nation, and their commitment to raising resilient and thriving children.
He said this year’s prevention month theme, “MilParents Rock,” will serve as a reminder of the strength and resiliency of the military families and stressed that it’s take an entire community to “support and build rock-solid families.”
Before concluding the ceremony, Maiki Mayhew, the Exceptional Family Program coordinator with ACS, explained other events that will take place across the month to boost awareness. They include:
Every Friday: The ACS team will conduct community outreach and hope to see as many people as possible wearing blue every Friday.
April 5 through 25: Visit the Camp Zama bowling alley or the Army Community Service office (Bldg. 402) to pick up a bowling pin starting April 5 to participate in the Bowling Pin Decorating Contest. Drop off the pin at the bowling alley or ACS by April. 25. Voting will take place on April 26 in the bowling alley.
April 19: Family Game Night from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Camp Zama Youth Center. Wear blue and join the event for an exciting night of games, laughs and friendly competition.
April 26: “Strike Out Child Abuse” event at the Camp Zama bowling alley from 5 to 9 p.m. Wear blue and receive one free game and shoe rental. Make sure to vote in the Bowling Pin Decorating Contest from 5 to 7 p.m.
April 30: Pinwheel-planting event from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Sagamihara Family Housing Area Library. Join the event for games, music, pinwheel arts and crafts.
If you are someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call our Domestic Abuse Victim Advocate Hotline (24 hours a day) at 080-5968-3188.
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