April is Child Abuse Awareness Month, and local nonprofit organizations have events planned throughout the month to raise public awareness.
If you’ve noticed blue-painted windows at businesses around town, it’s because they were participants of the Paint the Town Blue event March 28-29.
On Monday, April 1, the nonprofits will be planting a pinwheel garden at the Pavilion Park at 6th and Main streets, Arkadelphia. Each of the 233 blue pinwheels to be planted this year represents a child served at the Percy and Donna Malone Child Safety Center in 2023. That is a record number to date since the PDMCSC opened in 2015. The center says the growing number is not because more abuse is happening but rather because of spreading awareness about a situation that for years has been kept in the dark.
Partners, donors, volunteers and sponsors will be treated to the Helpers of Healing Appreciation Dinner at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 2, at the Walker Conference Center on Ouachita Baptist University’s campus.
Residents are encouraged to wear blue on Friday, April 5, for WeAR Blue, a statewide representation and support of providing awareness to child abuse and prevention. Those who wear blue that day are encouraged also to email pictures to development@pdmcsc.org or send them via Facebook Messenger to the PDMCSC.
A fundraising event on Saturday, April 13, should draw folks in by the droves to the Lower Lake Recreation Center in Caddo Valley. The 9th annual Duck Derby Festival will feature its highlight rubber duck race on the Caddo River between the spillway and boat ramp. The event lasts from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
With a goal of selling 3,000 ducks to race, there is competition between Arkadelphia and Malvern public schools, as well as between head law enforcement officers, Sheriff Jason Watson and Jason “Shorty” Jackson, to see who can sell the most ducks.
The superintendent of the winning school district will pie the contester, and one or both of the lawmen will go home wearing a multitude of different colors freely tossed at them during the event’s color wars.
Ten big prizes are guaranteed for winners of the duck derby. Ducks are $5 apiece or $20 for 5 and can be purchased at pdmcsc.org/race. The fundraising portion of the festival also includes food purchases and T-shirts.
The event also will include free festival games, color wars, a disc golf tournament, volleyball and bounce houses.
Staff of the PDMCSC, along with The CALL of Clark County and Court Appointed Special Advocates, will be special guests at the monthly meeting of the Clark County Quorum Court meeting. County judge Troy Tucker will proclaim April as Child Abuse Awareness Month.
Finally, a Blue Sunday prayer walk and rally in downtown Arkadelphia will be held 6-7 p.m. April 28 and feature a gathering of local faith leaders at the Clark County Courthouse. From there, participants will walk to 6th and Main streets to gather the pinwheels planted earlier in the month and make their way back to the courthouse for prayer and more fellowship at the rally.