Our Kids In Coeur d’Alene

Almost 200 people gathered early Thursday for breakfast and another presentation by Dr. Robert Anda at the Coeur d’Alene Resort.

“His presentation was really incredible,” said Beth Barclay, executive director of ICARE Child and Family Advocacy Center, a nonprofit child-abuse prevention program in Kootenai County. “It was profound. I heard people leaving saying it changed the way they look at life.”

Posters produced by children were on display and the fourth- and fifth-grades choir from Dalton Elementary School performed.

On the tables were yellow cards on which participants could sign up to volunteer or share thoughts on how to better engage the community in the prevention of child abuse and neglect.

“We’ll try and connect people depending on what they want to do,” said Barclay. “You could really see people getting it – you could see the lightbulbs going off.”

When April is over – and with it this year’s Our Kids: Our Business campaign – Barclay is optimistic about the campaign’s lasting impact.

“The broad cross-section of people who were here today will now have a framework around which to have a conversation about these things,” she said.

“Those of us who work in the fields of social work have known this for years – but now other people can take it home and to their faith-based networks and discuss it.”

– Pia Hallenberg Christensen