April is National Child Abuse Awareness Month and the Pike Regional Child Advocacy Center has a variety of events and activities planned for the month.

The CAC always gets Child Abuse Awareness Month campaign off to an early start with the sale of special T-shirts to be worn throughout the month.

“The T-shirts are a large part of our annual child abuse awareness campaign,” said Camille Downing, director of the CAC in Troy.

“We usually place the first order for the T-shirts in March so people can begin wearing them the first of April. Our first order will go out Monday, so we encourage those who want to have their T-shirts to wear all month long, to call us with their orders.”

The logo and theme for this year’s Child Abuse Awareness Month T-shirt is “I Made a Difference in the Life of an Abused Child.”

The 2014 T-shirts are sports gray with orange lettering and are $14 each and come in sizes from youth small to adult 4X.

Orders may be placed by calling the CAC at 334-670-0487 or by email at prcac@troycable.net.

“You don’t have to pay when you order,” Downing said. “We understand about payday and we also trust that those who order shirts will pay when they pick them up.

“Businesses that plan to wear the T-shirts during the month are taking orders and relaying them to us.”

A second order for the T-shirts will be placed soon and the CAC is taking orders now for that shipment of T-shirts.

Downing said the CAC will also have blue ribbons for sale.

“Blue is the color that represents child abuse prevention and awareness,” she said. “The ribbons may be displayed on store fronts, at homes and on mailboxes to show support of the efforts to raise awareness of child abuse and to prevent it.”

The blue ribbons are $10 each.

All proceeds from the sale of the T-shirts and blue ribbons will benefit the Pike Regional CAC.

Proclamation Day Services for the 2014 Pike Regional CAC child abuse awareness campaign will be at noon on April 8 at the CAC at 118 West Orange Street. State Sen. Jimmy Holley will be the featured speaker. The public is invited.