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Why a BLUE ribbon? A grandmother's story...
In the spring of 1989, a grandmother named Bonnie Finney took a stand against child abuse in Norfolk, Va. She tied a blue ribbon to the antenna of her mini van in remembrance of her late grandson and as a signal to her community that child abuse continues to be a devastating social plague.
Her grandchildren lived an at-risk existence in an abusive environment. Despite her efforts to intervene on behalf of her grandchildren, his mother’s boyfriend murdered three-year-old Bubba.
"One day I was just thinking about all the bruises I had seen on my grandchildren," Finney said. "I just decided I was going to tie a blue ribbon on my van. Why blue? I intend never to forget the battered, bruised bodies of my grandchildren. Blue serves as a constant reminder to me to fight for protection for our children.”
The spirit of her blue ribbon grew and inspired a statewide community-based effort to prevent child abuse. Her simple act of education and remembrance has since inspired a nationwide movement for states throughout the country to participate in the campaign by designating the month of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month every year. |