‘The Touring Company’ from Liberty Arts Magnet School performed Thursday morning at the 25th Annual Kids Community Breakfast.
Precious Grundy | The Lima News
LIMA — Allen County Children Services hosted its 25th annual community breakfast on Thursday morning. Throughout the breakfast, ACCS recognized community members who are ‘friends of children’. The several people chosen were honored for the impact they have made throughout the community. Among the chosen was SAFY Behavioral Health Director Judy Lester.
“This is an amazing community,” said Lester. “Full of great hope. When we see children like this in front of us singing and dancing, life is really good. Twenty years of a social work career in this community with some of the most creative, effective, dedicated professionals. I have just been really honored.”
The breakfast focused on the many entities that play a role in keeping children safe in Allen County. ACCS Executive Director Sarah Newland weighed in.
“This breakfast has been hosted for years as a call to action and reminder that we all have an opportunity to invest in the well-being of children, and that each of us has an important role to play in preventing child abuse and neglect,” said Newland. “This year is especially important as we’re updating our Allen County Memorandum of Understanding to address child abuse and neglect, many of you in the room are part of the MOU is one example of how it community working together to ensure better outcomes for our children and our county.”
Ohio State House Representative for the 78th District Susan Manchester (R-Waynesfield) joined this year’s breakfast to share what she learned about child safety.
“I’m so grateful to represent such a strong community that all works together in order to protect the child,” said Manchester. “That’s our theme for the day, right? It takes the community and I see that in this room today. And even in my time working on legislation like that, I know that the communities that I represent are already doing that great work of working together.”
Manchester shared her experience working at Big Brothers Big Sisters in Allen County before becoming a legislator. Manchester also spoke on the bills that were signed into law.
The organization hopes to continue to bring awareness to child abuse throughout the month of April. Community members are encouraged to wear blue Wednesday, April 12.
Reach Precious Grundy at 567-242-0351.
