Local nonprofit hosting snowman competition to raise awareness of child abuse prevention
Published at | Updated at
POCATELLO — The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the election and political tensions have dominated news headlines in 2020 and made it an eventful year. A local nonprofit is hoping to get people talking about another issue with a virtual competition.
The Bannock Youth Foundation’s Communities Aligned in Prevention Efforts is hosting a virtual snowman competition to help families have discussions about child abuse. The organization typically hosts community events to educate and raise awareness about child abuse prevention efforts. Many of those events were canceled this year to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Program Coordinator Shannon Fox tells EastIdahoNews.com the snowman competition can encourage families and organizations to have fun together at home while still having discussions about something that impacts children nationwide and in eastern Idaho.
“We are all kind of exhausted by what’s going on,” Fox says. “We still need to be having these important conversations.”
Anyone is welcome to participate in the competition. To enter, the family or organization simply has to make a snowman. It can be made out of snow, cookies, paper or anything else you can think of. Once it’s complete, take a picture and upload it to C.A.P.E’s Facebook page.
In order for a family to be considered for a prize, they also have to download and fill out the Family Code of Conduct worksheet. The document, created by the nonprofit organization Darkness to Light, has been used by C.A.P.E for years. It helps families establish expectations for children, ranging from how they treat others to what will be allowed when it comes to sleepovers or the internet.
Every family that posts both a photo and the code of conduct form will be entered into a raffle to win one of five prizes.
The group is encouraging businesses and organizations to get involved as well. Organizations who post their photo and code of conduct will be eligible to win one of five trophies for most creative, funniest, largest or craftiest snowman. There is also a trophy for best snowman collage for organizations with many participants.
Despite the pandemic, Fox hopes families and businesses will participate and have these conversations with those they know.
“Everything is happening in a way that no one has really anticipated … but we still can’t drop the ball for our children,” says Fox.
The competition gets underway Dec. 1. Visit the Facebook page for more information.