Raising awareness throughout the month of April

April is a month full of awareness and recognition for important causes, organizations, and groups of people.

On Tuesday, April 2, both the Green River City Council and the Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners shared proclamations recognizing National Library Week, National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, Child Abuse Awareness Month and Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

National Library Week is April 7-13, and it recognizes libraries as playing a critical role in communities and being a cornerstone of democracy through the resources they provide and programs they offer. This year's library week theme is "For a richer, full life, read."

Library Director Lindsey Travis and Sweetwater County Library Manager Alan Vaughn spoke to the Green River City Council about National Library Week. Vaughn pointed out that the library system's mission statement includes a promise to improve the local quality of life.

"The library is there to provide help and information in a safe and welcoming space," Vaughn said.

The libraries will be giving out cookies and refreshments to celebrate Library Week, with Sweetwater County Library in Green River giving out their treats to patrons on Tuesday.

National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week is April 14-20, and it recognizes public safety telecommunicators as the "first and most critical contact our citizens have with emergency services."

Representatives and dispatchers with the Sweetwater Combined Communications Joint Powers Board gave out challenge coins to the county commissioners and city council members to recognize their continued support of local telecommunicators.

Councilmember George Jost thanked the dispatchers for the work they do that most people wouldn't be able to imagine.

"We love serving our community," Angie Hook, a local dispatcher, said.

All of April is recognized as Child Abuse Awareness Month, recognizing the serious problem of child abuse and neglect and the ways it impacts children and communities as a whole.

"Our children are our most valuable resource and will shape the future of our communities," the proclamation states. "Communities must make every effort to promote programs and activities that create strong and thriving children and families."

April is also Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and the YWCA of Sweetwater County works together with agencies throughout the community to raise awareness all month long.

Nationwide, one in six women and one in 33 men experience sexual assault in their lifetime, YWCA Executive Director Melinda Baas shared. Over half of sexual assaults occur at or near a victim's home, and eight out of 10 rapes are committed by someone known to the victim. Sexual assault is also one of the most under-reported crimes, as only about one third of victims actually report to law enforcement.

"It happens in Sweetwater County," Baas added. Last year, YWCA helped 36 victims of sexual assault.

"It's a hard topic to talk about, it's a hard issue to bring up, but the goal of having proclamations and doing months of awareness is to start conversations," YWCA Executive Director Melinda Baas said. "The whole point. . .is to be able to discuss these issues. If we don't discuss them, they don't go away."

Throughout April, YWCA will give out teal bracelets in numerous locations throughout both Green River and Rock Springs to raise awareness of sexual violence and to show support to survivors.

The YWCA Annual Run with the Badges 5K/10K will take place at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 27 at the Young at Heart Senior Center in Rock Springs. This race is held every April to promote sexual assault awareness.