The Troy Exchange Club presented the Pike Regional Child Advocacy Center (PRCAC) with a $1,000 check Thursday to help combat child abuse in the county.

The primary mission of the Exchange Club is to prevent child abuse, so donating to the organization  during Child Abuse Awareness Month makes sense.

The club also hosted Kaley Green, family advocate at the center, to tell them more about what services the center offers and the status of child abuse in Pike County and the surrounding areas.

“We typically see 300 to 350 kids each year,” Green said. “Those come from the four counties we serve, Pike Barbour, Coffee and Bullock. These are kids that have been sexually or physically abused or neglected.”

The center contracts with trained forensic investigators so that the children typically only have to tell their stories once, Green said.

When asked about the breakdown of children served, Green said it is a wide variety with no clear majority.

“We serve about the same numbers of boys and girls,” Green Said. “And it’s a pretty even split of ages and races too.”

The center services children from 3 years old all the way up to 18.

Green said the center works with the Department of Human Resources and law enforcement when conducting child interviews.

The center also promotes prevention of child abuse, bringing programs into schools to teach children safety as well as what to do if they are abused.

April is the main fundraising month for the center, with several different campaigns to raise enoguh money to provide free services to customers.

“We get two grants that runs us about $86,000 and we have to match that with fundraising,” Green said.

Those funds provide the salaries for the four full-time employees while fundraising offsets the other costs.

Pinwheel Garden Partnerships begin at $50 and the partner receives a pinwheel tabletop centerpiece to display. A $100-partner receives 50 pinwheels and a yard sign to display. Those who choose the $150 Pinwheel Partnership receive 100 pinwheels and two yard signs for display.

Pinwheels may also be purchased individually for $2 each.

Blue Ribbon Partnerships are $15 and include a blue ribbon for the door or mailbox at a home or business location.

The PRCAC also has T-shirts available Child Abuse Prevention Month for sale for $15 for both short and long sleeve shirts.

For more information, to become Prevention Partners or to purchase pinwheels, ribbons and T-shirts, call 670-0487.