First Friday to help shine a light on child abuse

We all know Greencastle First Friday events for the fun they bring to local residents and the business they bring to local vendors.

With National Child Abuse Prevention Month observed in April, the kickoff of the 2019 First Friday season will also bring awareness to a problem plaguing our community and the entire country.

With Abstract and Title as the corporate sponsor for the April event, the Child Abuse Prevention Task Force will host a carnival event, with various member agencies conducting games and other activities for prizes while also providing information about the services they provide.

“Indiana ranks second in the nation in reported incidents of child abuse and neglect,” Family Support Services Executive Director Scott Monnett said. “What we’re trying to do as a coalition is to take an event like First Friday and bring awareness to it both in the county and around the state.”

At least seven groups will take part in the game theme, including three from Family Support Services alone — their Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Division, Healthy Families and the Youth Coalition. Other groups represented include the Children’s Bureau, Cummins Behavioral Health, United Way of Putnam County, Department of Children’s Services Foster Division, Greencastle Police Department, Mental Health America of Putnam County, Putnam County Youth Development and CASA and more.

The games will be set up from the northeast corner of courthouse square, on down the east side on Indiana Street.

The square should be nicely decorated for the event as well, with volunteers planning to place pinwheels on the courthouse lawn Wednesday to honor the victims of child abuse in the county.

Monnett also said Friday is “Wear Blue Day,” when residents are asked to wear blue to stand in solidarity against child abuse.

“We would love for that to be a symbol that this community wants to see an end to child abuse,” Monnett said.

Of course, the evening will also feature the usual First Friday fun of music and food.

Acts will grace three different stages on the night, with the Second Story Trio playing the north courthouse stage on Franklin Street at 7:30 p.m.

Philip Steven and the Open Road will play the South Indiana Street stage at 7 p.m.

Dreadful Greta will play the Wasser Brewing Co. stage at 8 p.m.

All of the music should be winding down by 10:30 p.m.

Downtown restaurants will also be open with food and drink specials for the extra traffic. Additionally, the Putnam Inn will be serving food on South Indiana Street.

ZooSoul Drum Circle will also take place on South Indiana Street from 5-7 p.m.

Besides the usual north and east sides of the courthouse, as well as the South Indiana Street from Washington to Walnut, Franklin Street will also be closed between Indiana and Vine streets.

“That area is going to be more filled in than in the past,” Mike Richmond of Main Street Greencastle said, noting that craft and art vendors will set up shop in the area, along with some non-profit groups.

Organizers remind merrymakers that no outside alcohol is allowed at First Friday events.

Corporate sponsors for upcoming First Friday events include City of Greencastle, Putnam County Convention and Visitor Bureau, DePauw University, the Greater Greencastle Chamber of Commerce and First National Bank.