Mark and I are walking again this year to honor and remember our daughter, Maggie, who would have celebrated her 14th birthday November 6th, just one day before this year's walk. You likely know that she died just after turning two years old, a victim of abuse at the hands of her babysitter. We support Prevent Child Abuse Texas (PCAT) because they work tirelessly year-round across the entire state of Texas to prevent child abuse in every form--neglect, emotional abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse. PCAT hosts an annual conference that has attracted over 700 attendees from all over Texas as well as 16 other states. It brings the state of the art prevention knowledge to any and all in Texas working to combat abuse. PCAT's dedicated and very efficient staff also travel throughout the state taking training directly to teachers and childcare providers, those on the front lines with children, on recognizing and preventing abuse. PCAT serves as a network with the 1-800 CHILDREN hotline and an extensive library available to anyone interested in the field of child abuse prevention. Donating through this website is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to support our fundraising efforts. As always, many thanks for your support -- and don't forget to forward this to anyone who you think might want to donate too! As we embark on this challenge, I hope that you will join us as we stride toward our vision of a world where every child grows up free of abuse or neglect. Please help with any amount that you can...no amount is too small. THANK YOU!!
