The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

Event recognizes abused kids

Kites for Kids Festival commemorates victims of child abuse.
Event+recognizes+abused+kids

By Jason Estrada

[email protected]
The Johnson County community flew kites to honor children who have been affected by child abuse.

Families attended the Kites for Kids Festival at the City Park to commemorate Child Abuse Prevention Month on April 22.

LaTasha DeLoach, the Johnson County community projects specialist, said the purpose of the festival is to bring people together and spread awareness about child abuse.

“We wanted to fly kites and remember some folks who have impacted by it,” she said. “But also about prevention and awareness and opportunities to bring the community members together from different backgrounds and have with children in the park.”

The festival is an annual event organized by the Johnson County Community Partnership for Protecting Children, an organization in Johnson County Social Services. Similar events were hosted in North Liberty and Tiffin.

In 2015, 683,000 children were victims of abuse and neglect, and 1,670 children died from abuse, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The idea of flying kites was inspired by pinwheels, which are the national symbol for child abuse prevention. DeLoach said pinwheels, kites, and bubbles have a similarity because they have the same concept with air.

“We get hundreds of people who come to [the event] every year,” she said. “This year, the Police Department is really coming out and [gathering members] to help support and put kites together for kids.”

DeLoach also noted other participation methods of child abuse prevention such as donating to a food bank, giving diapers for a baby shower, or donating personal hygiene supplies for mothers who are homeless.

Iowa City resident Susan Rekward said she attended the festival with her daughter, Lauren, just for fun, but the event also had a personal connection to her.

“Lauren was adopted from foster care, so we’re really aware of child abuse, and we think it’s a really great program for the community to be aware,” she said.

Additionally, Rekward has been attending the event every year since it first began in Iowa City.

According to the Iowa Department of Human Services, 8,298 children were victims of abuse in Iowa during 2015. In the same year, there were 120 reports of child abuse in Johnson County, according to the Johnson County Social Services.

Wivven Meyer, an Iowa City visitor who was spending time with her family at the event, said she was content to know the festival was honoring child-abuse victims.

“I’ve worked with a lot of abusive kids,” she said.

The event didn’t have a personal tie to her life, but she was glad to see the event was bringing the community together and advocating for Child Abuse Prevention Month.

“What’s important is to see the police,” she said. “And they’re working with young kids to get noticed as something other than just enforcement of rules, they’re getting to be friends.”

 

 

 

 

 

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