Child Abuse Prevention Month brings out blue thumbnails

CHUBBUCK — April is child abuse prevention month, and the Idaho Children’s Trust Fund is teaming up with the Bannock Youth Foundation and Idaho State University in helping spread that message throughout eastern Idaho.

“There’s not any room for it. There’s no room for people or kids to feel unwelcome or uncomfortable or youth in our communities to feel threatened in any way,” said Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad during a news conference Monday.

As usual, you’ll see many blue pinwheels spread throughout the community in front of businesses and buildings, but this year there’s a new twist.

Idaho Children’s Trust Fund started the ‘Thumbs Up” Idaho campaign encouraging people to paint their thumbnails blue in support of the cause showing unity, and using it as a way to start conversation.

“Anything that we can do to protect the most helpless of our communities, we have a responsibility to do. And this a real problem amongst us, and it won’t do any good for us to ignore it. We’ve got to educate about it so people understand exactly what it is,” said Chubbuck Mayor Kevin England.

The mayors of Pocatello, Chubbuck, and Blackfoot were joined by ISU President Kevin Satterlee who together kicked off the campaign by painting their thumbnails and pledging support to the program.

The organizations will put on many events in support of the cause this month, including child abuse prevention training, which has taught over 4,300 people in our region over the last few years.

“I join with the other mayors, and with President Satterlee, in challenging county commissioners, city employees, everybody, to participate in this training and find ways that we can benefit our youth,” said Blackfoot Mayor Marc Carroll.