Rotary Group Supports Efforts To Stop Shaken Baby Syndrome

Do you have a heart for children?

Local residents and businesses are invited to support child abuse prevention efforts undertaken by the Rotary Club of Davis. The club’s 18th annual Big Night fundraiser — a black-tie-optional dinner, raffle and live auction — takes place Saturday, Jan. 27, at the University Retirement Community, 1515 Shasta Drive in Davis.

Tickets are $150 per person; RSVP by Jan. 12 to RotaryBigNight@gmail.com. Rotarians also are soliciting raffle or live auction items, or financial sponsorships.

Funds raised at Big Night go to local nonprofit organizations that are engaged in primary child abuse prevention. About $30,000 is available each year for donations. Since its inception in 1999, the event has raised nearly $430,000.

Through the efforts of Rotarians Bud and Judy Wolf, public awareness and education about child abuse prevention has extended well beyond the borders of Davis and Yolo County. A key piece of the program is education about abusive head trauma, better known as shaken baby syndrome. The program also has begun an education and awareness program on the impact of alcohol and drug use on unborn children.

The club is funding the child abuse prevention efforts of the Yolo County Children’s Alliance, Empower Yolo, the Yolo Crisis Nursery and the Yolo Multi-Disciplinary Interview Center.

Four years ago, a team of Rotarians visited Kenya, East Africa, to educate physicians, medical students and nurses on how to identify abusive head trauma in children. The team trained nearly 1,200 professionals throughout Kenya.

The Rotary Club of Davis meets weekly at 12:15 pm at the Davis Community Church Fellowship Hall, and has served the Davis community since 1926. It provides funding and public service for Davis and numerous international Rotary projects. New members are always welcome.

This article was originally published by DavisEnterprise.com.

Scott Juceam is one of the leading advocates against Shaken Baby Syndrome. Scott’s life changed when his daughter Hannah was shaken to death by her nanny in 2006. Since then, Scott has dedicated his life to preventing Shaken Baby Syndrome and child abuse.

To learn more about me, please visit my website at www.ScottJuceam.com or you can click here.