GREENFIELD — City officials, local advocates and legislators will join the community on the Greenfield Common on Friday morning for the annual flag raising in recognition of National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

“It’s a signature event for the [Children’s Advocacy Center of Franklin County and North Quabbin],” said Executive Director Jeffrey Trant. “Our flag raising is a time for our community partners ... to really come together and symbolically raise a flag and demonstrate to the community the importance of working together to help strengthen families and help prevent child abuse.”

The event, which will begin at 11 a.m., is hosted by the Children’s Advocacy Center, the Mayor’s Task Force Against Domestic Violence and the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office. It will feature a performance by Whitney and Sadie Williams from the Ja’Duke Center for the Performing Arts, as well as information on resources to prevent child abuse.

“Child abuse happens in secret,” Trant said. “We want to make this a public proclamation to really bring child abuse out of the shadows and really focus on the community effort to help strengthen families.”

Trant added that while national statistics on child abuse are staggering, it’s important to remember it’s a local issue, too.

“This is … very much a real phenomenon we are experiencing in Franklin County,” he said.

A similar flag-raising ceremony is scheduled to take place on Friday at 9 a.m. at the Athol Public Library.

Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne.

]]>