AWARENESS

From page A1

“It can be scary go to a police station. This is child friendly environment” said Wilson. “We also prepare kids for court and even take them to the Courthouse so they know what to expect and feel more comfortable.”

Wilson insists that they are discreet and protect the privacy of the victims as they also deal with cases of rape, they can do testing on site and not at the police station.

“It takes the whole community to prevent child abuse,” she said. “The hardest part is also convincing parents that their child needs counseling. A lot of parents are victims themselves and didn’t get therapy. They think ‘I am fine’ or ‘therapy didn’t help me. I’m just gonna wait and see if they have issues’ but often will call you later and say the kid is running away or having difficulty in school. I’m not faulting them but many do not understand trauma and how it affects your brain. Children are often misdiagnosed with ADHD because symptoms of trauma can be similar. Education and prevention are key. It’s important to train adults how to react to abuse, what to say to child, how to report it. Often teachers will ask ‘What is wrong with that child?’ when instead they should be asking, ‘What happened to that child?’” Mending Hearts was founded by Mary Beth Luibel in 2007. Luibel passed away in 2020, but the organization has carried on her legacy, including efforts to do something to raise awareness every April. This year several staff and members of the West Memphis fire and police departments attended a flag raising ceremony as they, sadly, added four new names to their memory garden: Jadaka Jimerson, Ja’Myiah Hall, Blu Roland and Fredarrious Wilson, who have all died in the past year They also added blue pinwheels to the garden which Wilson says represent “childhood innocence and being carefree.”

Of their biggest challenge, Wilson says there are many “awareness” events but not as much funding.

“We receive grants and donations, some federal dollars but it’s never enough,” said Wilson. “Our therapist has a case load nearly unmanageable and we are looking to hire another. We would really like to see more local funding as we see almost none. Another challenge is that it’s hard work and its difficult hearing and seeing what we do on a daily basis. We try not to take our work home but it’s not easy to shut it off. I’ve gone home many weekends thinking about a specific child.”

In order to raise more funds locally the organization is currently selling pinwheels and signs to put in your yard or business. For $25 dollars, you get a sign and a set of pinwheels and they will even come by at the end of the month to pick them up. For more information, Mending Hearts can be found on Facebook or by calling (870) 735-0870.

“We hope you never need to come here,” said Wilson, “but we want you to know that we will be here if you do.”

ABOVE: Members of the West Memphis Fire Department on hand for the Mending Hearts flag-raising ceremony.

TOP LEFT: Ladies of local law enforcement (from left to right): Brittney Thorne (Crittenden County Sheriffs Office), Reagan Sparks (Marion Police Department), Malory Manning (West Memphis Police Department), and Breanna Porter (WMPD). BOTTOM LEFT: West Memphis police officers Ashley Winkfield, Darrin Chase, Quenterius Stephenson and Tresure Gaither.

Photos courtesy of Mending Hearts