Tuolumne County proclaims April 2025 Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month; presents poster and poetry contest winners

Tuolumne County supervisors unanimously adopted Resolution 24-25 on the proclamation of April 2025 as Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month, and the board honored winners of the county's annual Prevent Child Abuse poster and poetry contest during a special morning session.

"I'm Josh Martin, recreation supervisor and chair of the Tuolumne Resiliency Coalition," Martin said, introducing the coalition's work and the month's theme: "It Takes a Village, Strengthening Families and Communities." He described local awareness activities, including wearing blue and displaying blue pins, and noted that blue pinwheel gardens would be placed at Courthouse Park and Adventist Health Sonora.

Martin invited the public to a child abuse prevention luncheon on April 10 at 11 a.m. in the Brahma Ballroom at the Chicken Ranch Casino, and introduced youth center coordinators Donica Schulke and Monica Hirschfield, who presented the poster and poetry awards.

Organizers announced winners across youth centers and grade groups. Among the recipients named were Matthew Hockett (Tuolumne Youth Center, third place, grades 1'2), Isaac Montrose (second, grades 1'2), Sawyer and Nolan (first, grades 1'2, joint entry); Aubrey Frankenhauser (first, grades 4'6); Ali Schwitzer (first, grades 7'8); Liam Robertson (first, Groveland Youth Center, grades 1'2); Stella Pernay (first, Groveland Youth Center, grades 4'6); and Nathan Dennies (first, high-school poetry). Many winners were recognized in person and their work was displayed in the board chambers ahead of the meeting.

Supervisor Campbell commended the artwork and the themes of hope shown in the entries, thanking coordinators and parents for their involvement. "I think that was well said and I agree completely," Campbell said, praising staff and encouraging continued community engagement in the county's youth programs.

After a brief public comment period (the chair opened and then closed public comment), a motion to adopt Resolution 24-25 was made, with a first recorded by Supervisor Grieffer and a second by Supervisor Kirk. The chair called the vote and announced the motion passed unanimously; the proclamation was adopted.

The chair adjourned the ceremonial portion of the meeting at 08:52 and said the board would reconvene for regular business at about 9:05 a.m.

Details not specified in the record include the board's full roll-call vote tally and the precise year count of the contest referenced during remarks. The luncheon and the pinwheel displays were announced by the Tuolumne Resiliency Coalition as part of the county's April activities.