Big Sandy Council on Elder Maltreatment receives 2018 Public Awareness Initiative Award
On May 18, 2018, The Big Sandy Council on Elder Maltreatment was awarded the 2018 Public Awareness Initiative Award awarded by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Adult Protection Branch, Frankfort, KY. Big Sandy was one of three local Elder Councils who received a $400.00 award for their efforts in promoting elder abuse awareness and prevention. This year the Big Sandy Council on Elder Maltreatment worked on the following projects.
• Launch of the COAST (Check on a Senior Today) Program in Johnson County by partnering with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department.
• Spring Bazaar was held at Highland Regional Medical Center and the Council distributed elder abuse awareness brochures and literature.
• Rocking the Dawkins Trail. Magoffin County Senior Citizens Center painted rocks and placed the abuse hotline number on them and placed them on Dawkins Trail for trail visitors to find.
• Quilting Bee. Magoffin County Senior Citizens Center made lap throw quilts for residents of the Hazard VA Facility and those were presented to the residents on Memorial Day weekend.
• Provided elder abuse awareness placemats for the Magoffin Foundation Dinner for Non-profits.
• Developed the Speakers Bureau for anyone to reach out to and schedule speakers who provide services and address needs for the aging and elderly community.
• Trunk or Treat. Council members distributed candy along with EAA information and brochures and was joined by Prestonsburg Mayor, Les Stapleton.
• Partnered with AppalReD Legal Aid for a 4th Annual Domestic Violence and Elder Abuse Awareness Conference. The Council is again partnering with AppalReD for a 5Th annual conference to be held in September 2018.
The Big Sandy Council on Elder Maltreatment meet the 2ND Thursday of each month at 10:00 AM at the Big Sandy Area Development District, 110 Resource Court, Prestonsburg, KY 41653. These meetings are open to the public.