COVID-safe Stop the Violence/Back to School Rally set for July 25
Press release from Alachua County Public Schools
Alachua County school children and their families are invited to attend a COVID-safe Stop the Violence/Back to School Rally on Saturday, July 25th at 9 a.m.
The 21st annual event will be held Saturday, July 25th at 9 a.m. The event is once again being organized by People Against Violence Enterprises (PAVE) and is sponsored by a wide variety of local sponsors, including primary sponsor Meridian Behavioral Healthcare.
Because of COVID-19, the event will be held at the Alachua County Fairgrounds at 3100 NE 39th Avenue. The first 3000 school-aged children in attendance will receive a free backpack filled with school supplies. Backpacks will be placed in car trunks, which means there will be no walkups. Children must be present to receive the backpacks.
Anti-violence messages will be playing on a large screen set up at the Fairgrounds, and those attending will be able to listen on their car radios. Those messages will be delivered by local celebrities and officials.
“This year we had considered cancelling this event due to the pandemic, but as a result of recent shootings and murders it served as a reminder that we must be diligent about educating the youth and parents in our community on violence prevention,” said Rev. Karl Anderson, the founder of PAVE. “In these times we need to be ‘Together For Each Other’ more than ever.”
More information is available at (352) 505-6839 or at www.pavingpeace.org
I just checked out the attached PAVE website to see their program
On how to “stop the violence”…they certainly do have a lot
Of sponsors. I see they are giving 3000 free backpacks
Away. I wanted to see the “anti-violence messages that
They would be playing on the large screen
at the fairground” or the “messages to
Be played by celebrities on the radio”…the only message
I saw was 3000 free backpacks with school supplies….
Any more messages besides “we need to be together for each other more than ever”? WHAT ARE THE ANTI
VIOLENCE MESSAGES? …”This year we thought we were going to cancel the event due to the pandemic, but as a result of recent shootings and murders it served as a
Reminder that we must be diligent about educating the
Youth and parents in our community on violence protection”…ok…I want to know more.