Families, agencies join together at Child Abuse Prevention Month event

MOSES LAKE — Law enforcement, the Boys and Girls Club, Renew, firefighters and more joined Kids Hope at the Grant County Fairgrounds Wednesday to raise awareness of child abuse. 

“April is Child Abuse Prevention Month,” said Elisa Adolphsen, children’s advocacy coordinator for Kids Hope, who was handing out paper masks at the front door for children to wear. “For the past several years (we) have held an event for the community. We make it free so families can come and gain information about child safety. Every booth has something to do with child safety or child abuse prevention.” 

Kids Hope’s booth included a TV and headphones where children could watch a short video on internet safety and healthy relationships. Others had prizes or activities for the children to take with them. Video games and a basketball hoop with nets were set up at the end of the hall, and the Moses Lake Women’s Club served up pizza. 

Each booth had a piece of paper children could take to the different booths, and when each booth had been visited, they received a ticket that could be entered in a drawing for any of 10 prizes and gift baskets. 

“Each kid gets a ticket, but also the grownups,” Adolphsen said. “We did some baskets that included hygiene products and home cleaning supplies, that sort of thing, for the adults to be able to submit a ticket and win.” 

This is the fourth year Kids Hope has put on the event, Adolphsen said. The first year they tried to do it at Sinkiuse Square, but the unpredictable April weather meant few people turned up. The next year they rented a building from a local business, but they found they needed more space, so last year they settled on the Huck Fuller building at the fairgrounds and that’s worked out well, she said. 

“There’s a lot of good resources here,” said Moses Lake Police Capt. Jeff Sursely. “We work hand-in-hand with Kids Hope, making sure kids stay safe and get the resources they need when something bad happens.” 

The Moses Lake Fire Department parked a truck outside for youngsters to climb up into, and stickers and fire hats as souvenirs. 

“Unfortunately, we go on all too many calls with the ambulance that reflect child abuse,” said MLFD Community Assistance Referrals and Education Services Coordinator Heather Kok. “But also (we’re here) to show our support for the campaign and let the kids climb in trucks.”
Othello Police Dept. Sgt. Brent McFarlane manned the OPD booth, handing out flyers and information about internet safety. McFarlane also serves on the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, he said. There’s a whole world of danger for children out in cyberspace, McFarlane said. 

“We specifically focus on child exploitation cases,” he said. “I call it ‘crimes that hide in plain sight.’ Any platform where predators can prey on vulnerable (children), they’re going to take it.” 

The children’s video game Roblox is a popular hunting ground for child traffickers, he said. 

“Even on that, predators get on and start talking to kids,” he said. “So, we’re talking to parents who come to our booth about internet safety and cell phone safety.” 

Events like Wednesday’s make a difference, Sursely said. 

“I think anytime the families can interact with not just the police departments, but the different organizations that get information, it makes them more likely to reach out when something does happen,” he said. 

    Organizations and agencies of all kinds that deal with children set up booths with information, games and swag at the Child Abuse Prevention Month event Wednesday at the Grant County Fairgrounds.
  

    Marybel Corona, right, and Ezekiel Legg take their best shots at the Kids Hope Child Abuse Prevention Month event Wednesday.
  

    Three-year-old Dylan Aaron finds joy in a balloon at the Child Abuse Prevention Month event at the Grant County Fairgrounds Wednesday.
  

    Kids Hope comfort dog Valor takes a well-deserved rest under a table at the Child Abuse Prevention Month event at the Grant County Fairgrounds Wednesday.