The Exchange Club of Falcon hosted its first Child Abuse Awareness Barbecue July 12 at the Falcon Fire Protection District station on old Meridian Road. Bob Miller, president of the Exchange Club, said they hope to make it an annual event.Child abuse is the Exchange Clubís main focus. ìWeíre trying to make the community aware of what is going on with child abuse,î Miller said. ìOur main thrust is trying to prevent it.îOne way the Exchange Club spreads awareness is by using a simulation doll that shows what happens with shaken baby syndrome. The dollís clear skull shows how the brain is affected when someone shakes a baby.Miller said they take the doll to high schools to ìtry to teach children how not to abuse.î Miller said people tend to pay more attention to the club because it has a stated focus on child abuse prevention. He said he hopes the barbecue will educate people about community resources. Several organizations involved with child abuse prevention attended the barbecue. KidPower of Colorado (see Lindsey Harrisonís KidPower article on page 11) and Bikers Against Child Abuse (see Jason Grayís article in the July issue of The New Falcon Herald) were among them.Thanks to barbecue participantsSubmitted by Rose MisnerUrsula Miller, chairwoman of the Exchange Clubís Child Abuse Prevention Committee, coordinated the barbecue, which included free hot dogs, bratwursts and lemonade; and face painting for kids age 10 and under. Time Out Teddy, the National Exchange Club Foundationís signature character for child abuse, made an appearance at the barbecue, along with Spider Man and Sponge Bob Square Pants.Participating organizations were CASA, Lutheran Family Services, KPC Kids Place, El Paso County Sheriffís Department Victims Assistance, Hope & Home Foster Parent Agency, Kidpower of Colorado, the El Paso County Department of Human Services, Kyndraís Hope, BACA (Bikers Against Child Abuse), Iron Horse, the Falcon Fire Department and the Christian Youth Ranch Petting Zoo ó each provided an activity and information about child abuse.In El Paso County in 2013, there were 3,924 abuse victims, 358 crime scenes that involved 236 families, said Sam McAfree, coordinator of the Victim Assistance Program of El Paso County.
