Communities Build a Blue Ribbon Tree for Kids to Raise Awareness About Child Abuse Prevention

Friday, January 27, 2017

The Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) Action Committee invites every community to take action for children by participating in their ninth annual “Build a Blue Ribbon Tree for Kids” campaign. The blue ribbon is the international sign for child abuse prevention and serves as a constant reminder that all of us have a responsibility in helping to protect children. Communities are invited to participate by displaying blue ribbon trees during April. To have your tree showcased in the blue ribbon tree video, trees must be completed and registered by April 5th.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) along with various community organizations are working together to build a “Blue Ribbon Tree” state. Blue Ribbon Trees will be blossoming throughout Oklahoma communities in April, which is National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Robyn Sears is a Child Development Specialist with the Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) Child Study Center and member of the Child Abuse Prevention planning committee.

“My goal is to get 2,017 blue ribbon trees blooming across the state with increased participation by businesses, childcare programs, churches and individuals for April 2017,” said Sears.

Tree photos will be highlighted in various ways, including the Child Abuse Prevention Month scrapbook, on the OSDH Family Support and Prevention Service web page and on various social media sites. A "Tree Registry" form is provided for people and organizations to register their trees with the OSDH Office of Child Abuse Prevention. The registration form is also available to print from the OSDH website at http://go.usa.gov/x9dNT

To “Build a Blue Ribbon Tree,” select any materials you choose. If using a living tree, choose a highly visible location and secure needed permission. Creativity is encouraged.

Decorate the tree with blue ribbons to represent any of the following:

The number of new babies born in your community;

The number of confirmed child abuse and neglect cases in your county;

Something significant to your agency, program or community
(i.e. number of families served by your program/agency);

Or use the ribbons to show general community support for all children
(benefit of this selection – NO counting ribbons).

Mail, fax or e-mail the completed form to:

Sherie Trice
OSDH Community Based Child Abuse Prevention Grant Coordinator
Oklahoma State Department of Health
Family Support and Prevention Service
1000 NE 10th Street
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73117-1299
Fax: 405-271-1011
E-mail: SherieT@health.ok.gov

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Last Modified on Jun 03, 2022