HANDS AROUND THE COURTHOUSE
For the past six years, CASA Kane County has hosted Hands Around the Courthouse
in April (National Child Abuse Prevention Month) to pay tribute to local victims
of child abuse and neglect. Over 100
people attended this year's ceremony, which took place on April 8th
in the Kane County Courthouse rotunda.
Arlene Hawks opened the ceremony with a poem, shown below, that she wrote
specifically for the occasion. An
inner circle of 75 pairs of shoes represented the children and teenagers who
died in
Illinois last year due to abuse or neglect.
A banner was hung from the second floor to honor the 538 children served
by CASA Kane County in 2009.
Guest speakers included Chief Judge F. Keith Brown, Juvenile Court Judge Susan
Clancy Boles, Sheriff Pat Perez, and CASA Executive Director Gloria Bunce.
We would like to thank The Exchange Club of the Tri Cities for sponsoring this
event as well as Pockets of Aurora for providing lunch for all attendees.
We hope this annual event reminds our community that
Protecting Children is EVERYONE'S Job!
Participants hold hands for a moment of silence
acknowledging local victims of child abuse and neglect.
75 pairs of shoes represented children who had died
due
to abuse or neglect in Illinois last year.
