‘Step Up, Speak Out’ rally plans ready

On Monday (April 2), the Park at West End in downtown Fort Smith went blue, the official color of child abuse awareness and prevention.

The Noon Exchange Club of Fort Smith, along with the “Step Up, Speak Out!” movement, hosted the lighting of the 56-foot Ferris Wheel to commemorate April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

“Step Up, Speak Out!” co-chairperson Sam Sicard, president of First National Bank of Fort Smith, also took the opportunity to officially announce the April 28 “A Rally to End Child Abuse.”

But Sicard had a message for those in attendance: “This is a movement, not an event.”

Since speaking with The City Wire in March regarding the “Step Up, Speak Out!” movement, Sicard has been happy with the progress and participation of business leaders in the Fort Smith region.

“We definitely have more people on board (since March), and we’ve really improved the education and awareness. At this point, it’s all about sustainability. The event on April 28 is just the beginning. There will be future events, educational opportunities, and frequent updates through our Facebook page,” Sicard said.

Sicard is planning for 1,000 people, and said he is encouraged by the amount of volunteers and corporate partners, who are participating to hit the goal.

The initial rally will take place on the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith (UAFS) Campus Green and will start with lunch at the Bell Tower at 11 a.m.

At 11:15 a.m., Jackie Hamilton, executive director of the Hamilton House, will host Adult Education Session 1 at the Weidman Center in the Pendergraft Health Sciences Building and offer a repeat session at 1:15 p.m.

The main program (with guest speakers) will run from 12 p.m.-1 p.m.

The rally will also feature children’s games, educational arts and crafts, bounce-a-rounds, giant blow-up toys for children, face painting, a rock climbing wall, musical entertainment, a magician, giveaways, and an appearance by Numa, the UAFS Lion mascot.

Prior to the April 28 event, a variety of area churches have agreed to coordinate sermons to raise awareness. Known as “Step Up Sunday,” the event will precede Sparks Regional Medical Center’s dedication of its records building to the “Step Up, Speak Out!” movement.

At Monday’s press conference, Sparks CEO Melody Trimble told The City Wire that the Records Building would be painted blue and unveiled on Monday (April 23). Members of the Sparks staff will also leave handprints on the building to go with the “Step Up, Speak Out!” logo, which will be painted on as a permanent part of the structure.

“You look at that statistic — that one in four girls have experienced sexual abuse before the age of eighteen. Now I’m a mother and a grandmother. I wasn’t sexually abused, and neither were my two daughters. But I have a granddaughter. That’s the fourth one, and I’ll do everything in my power to make sure that she’s not that statistic,” Trimble said.

Trimble continued: “Sparks fully supports the Hamilton House and the ‘Step Up, Speak Out!’ movement. It’s my responsibility as a mother, a grandmother, and a health care professional, to speak out. I don’t just want to raise awareness for this problem; I want to obliterate it.”