Announcing the 2024 Blue Ribbon Campaign

Written By Dawn Boone

Now in its 19th year, Central Oregon’s Blue Ribbon Campaign highlights the issue of child abuse and inspires adults to stop abuse before it starts.

KIDS Center and MountainStar Family Relief Nursery organize this annual event, presented by Selco Credit Union and supported by these sponsors: The Bulletin, Central Oregon Daily, Central Oregon Pediatric Association, East Bend Dental, Les Schwab Tires, and The Desert Pine Group at Morgan Stanley.

KIDS Center and MountainStar are launching a region-wide child abuse prevention website, protectkidsco.org, April 1. This website is “a resource of resources,” according to Rachel Visser, KIDS Center’s Prevention Education Manager. Families can find local resources by county, along with information on how to prevent abuse.

Free “Communities for Kids” events are planned for Warm Springs, Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook counties in April. All are welcome to these family-friendly events featuring free eats, activities, and raffle prizes. “Communities for Kids” events bring together local nonprofits in support of children and families. These events are designed to help connect families with community resources.

Local businesses and nonprofits across Central Oregon are handing out “Stop Child Abuse” wristbands in April. More than 5,000 Blue Ribbon wristbands have been distributed to community partners this year.

To raise community awareness, volunteers are putting up Blue Ribbon installations—featuring hundreds of blue pinwheels—on Friday, March 29 at the Madras City Hall and in Prineville in front of the old police department on Third St.

KIDS Center and MountainStar are also honoring their Prevention Partners of the Year for Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties. These local businesses and organizations have made a special commitment to protecting children—by training staff in child safety, creating family-friendly policies, and supporting prevention efforts through sponsorship, volunteering, and more. This year’s Prevention Partners are NeighborImpact, Heart of Oregon, Kindred Connections, Cascade School of Music, Meta Prineville Data Center, and Warm Springs K-8 Academy.

For more information on the Blue Ribbon Campaign, contact:

Rachel Visser, Prevention Education Manager
KIDS Center
prevention@kidscenter.org
541-306-6062

Staley Micken, Director of Development
MountainStar Family Relief Nursery
staleym@mtstar.org
541-322-6820

Dawn Boone