Community Urged To Make New Investment In Its Children

Religious leaders urged Spokane residents on Monday to make a new investment in a commodity that won’t pay dividends for years - children.

About 75 people listened to 10 leaders from churches, non-profit groups and the city’s Human Rights Commission discuss the problems facing children.

“Do you believe children are first on the agenda - at the core of every decision?” asked Marilee Roloff, of the Volunteers of America and a member of the board of the Spokane Community Network. “I do not … It is definitely time to call ‘mayday’ and send out an SOS for our children.”

The backdrop for the news conference was the Radio Flyer red wagon in Riverfront Park. Children squealed and shouted as they scooted down the wagon’s slide and climbed on the ladders.

The foreground was a monument to kids. A rubber raft held Cabbage Patch dolls in life preservers and teddy bears in plastic inner tubes.

Bishop William Skylstad of the Catholic Diocese of Spokane invited everyone in the community to define the common good. He said society needs to move beyond individualism and work for the good of everyone.

In eastern Africa, a saying maintains that it takes a whole village to raise a child, Skylstad said.

“It takes nothing less than the entire Spokane community to rear our children,” he added.

Speakers worried about the proposed cuts to welfare, to the school lunch program and to the safety net supporting children.

The Spokane Food Bank’s county food outlets serve about 6,500 children under age 18 and 2,600 under age 6, said Gary Singer, the bank’s board president. About 90 percent of the families receiving food are below the poverty line.

“I care about these children,” Singer said. “None of us want to see these children harmed in search of a balanced budget.”