It has been months on the weather rollercoaster, a quick teasing ride up the thermostat with warm sunshine one day, followed by a plunging descent to sub-freezing temperatures and cold, bone-chilling winds the next. As we close out the month of March and welcome in the month of April, I’m hopeful we can all get off the weather rollercoaster ride and enjoy warm sun-filled days and mildly cool nights.

April is also Child Abuse Prevention month, a time to remember and recognize that children right here in our community need our help. A time when young lives should be filled with learning, love, joy and laughter but are too often filled with abuse or neglect. The statistics are appalling and the long term cost to not only these young lives but society is overwhelming. Did you know that a case of child abuse or neglect is reported every minute in America? And that a child who is abused is much more likely to become addicted to drugs?

Our police, sheriff and deputies, fire fighters and first responders, our teachers, day care providers, social workers and health care providers are all trained and educated on how to recognize and report abuse and neglect of our children. Let’s partner with these agencies, by giving them our support, to make a difference and stop abuse and neglect before it starts. Become educated and know the signs of abuse yourself. Preventing child abuse and neglect means helping all parents have the knowledge, skills, resources, and support they need to provide the safe stable nurturing and healthy environment all children need to thrive.

As you drive through our area in April you’ll notice beautiful bright blue pinwheel gardens. A special thank you to Lou Parton and all the volunteers at Steps to Hope for leading the pinwheel garden drive and for all you do for our community. These pinwheel gardens symbolize the stable, healthy childhood all children deserve, and serve as a reminder to adults that we need to ensure our children’s healthy development and growth.

Look for pinwheel gardens springing up in our area next week and remember to support your local agencies as they work to support you and our most precious jewels – our children.

Betty Ramsey is the publisher of the Tryon Daily Bulletin. Her email address is betty.ramsey@tryondailybulletin.com.