Times-News
 David Grace photo. |
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David Grace photo. |
BLOUNTVILLE - For children who are victims of abuse, the gift of a quilt can give new meaning to the term "security blanket."
The Sullivan County Children's Advocacy Center offers many programs and services for abused children. One of the simplest and most enjoyable aspects of what they do is to provide those children with a gift that shows they are special.
The Sullivan Central High School Key Club and students from Blountville Elementary School on Wednesday donated seven quilts they made especially for kids who come to the Advocacy Center.
"We wanted to do something where we could help the kids in the community," said Mimia Johnson, Key Club district governor and Central student.
"The club's major emphasis is 'Children: Their Future, Our Focus.' ... It seemed to work well with this project," Johnson said.
Johnson said Blountville Elementary students were selected because of the school's location, near the Children's Advocacy Center (CAC).
"About 150 fourth- and fifth-graders worked on the quilts. They chose their shapes - including planes, stars, flowers, et cetera - and colored them in," Johnson said. "We felt that kids in this age group are a little older and more aware of what's going on in the community."
During the presentation in the Blountville Elementary cafeteria, the kids learned a little more about the CAC's purpose.
"The word advocacy means to be a voice. We speak out for children and try to be a voice for them when they have been a victim of abuse," CAC Clinical Director Mary Margaret Denton told the children. "We're the people you would come to if you had something like that happen to you."
Denton said it is a difficult thing for a child to talk about being abused, especially if it is by someone close.
"It is a tough thing to tell that someone you love has hurt you," Denton said. "We want all children to be safe, and we want the children to know that it is never their fault."
The quilts - made by school groups and classes, women's groups, craft groups and others in the area year-round - are given to children when they come to the CAC for an interview or a medical exam.
"One thing we try to do is make the children feel special after they have to do these tough things, and one way we do that is to give them a special gift," Denton said. "We call people who have helped us angels. So all of you (students) are some of our angels."
Two of those angels - fifth-graders Kristin Proffitt, 10, and Mara Dixon, 11 - said they had fun on the project but were more pleased with the meaning behind it.
"They told us it was going to a good cause, so that made us feel good," Dixon said. "When they told us we were angels, that was a good feeling, too."
Proffitt said helping others was the best part of the project.
"Being able to help other kids feel better was the best thing," she said.
After the presentation, the students were treated to a visit from Happy Bear, the CAC mascot that promotes personal safety and abuse awareness.
In 2002-2003, the CAC served 223 children as well as 284 parents and siblings.
The CAC mission is to combat child sexual and severe physical abuse by coordinating and providing services to children and families in crisis in a safe, caring environment.
The Sullivan County CAC is located on the Blountville Bypass near the Justice Center.
Source: http://www.timesnews.net/article.dna?_StoryID=3343978
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