ASCENSION- Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa declared April as “Child Abuse Prevention Month” in the parish.

Matassa presented the proclamation to Erin Mire, the advocate supervisor with Children Advocacy Services (CAS) Gonzales Regional Office,  at the April 7 parish council meeting in Donaldsonville.

Mire said that CAS served 70 children with advocates during March.

“These are volunteers who lend their voices to children who have been silenced by abuse or neglect,” Mire said. “And there are more still waiting.”

Mire said that 27 children in the 23rd Judicial District Court system were adopted into permanent homes last year.

She announced that CAS will be holding their sixth annual Blue Run, a one-mile family walk and 5k race held on Saturday, Apr. 16 from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.

“This event helps us to raise awareness, which is highly needed, but also to celebrate the work that our outstanding CASA volunteers do, and that our community partners do by donating their time and their resources to make the work that we do possible,” Mire said.

Pre- and post-race festivities will be at Gonzales City Hall, 120 S. Irma Blvd.

For more information about the Blue Run or CAS services, contact Child Advocacy Services Gonzales Office at (225) 647-2005, or visit http://www.childadv.net/blue-run.html.