The Zonta Club of Hilo has created a “Hands Are for Helping. . . not for hitting” T-shirt in honor of April as “Sexual Assault Awareness Month” and “Child Abuse and Neglect Awareness Month.”
“In Hawai‘i, we love T-shirts, so what better way to show your support of non-violence and help spread a peace-promoting message in our community,” says Julie Engelhardt, Zonta Club of Hilo President.
To raise awareness about peace over violence, Zonta is making specially designed T-shirts for youth and adults available from April 1-24, 2022.
Breaking the cycle of violence has to start early. For more than a decade, the Zonta Club of Hilo has taken the message “Hands Are Not For Hitting, Hands Are For Helping” to Hawai‘i Island preschoolers.
Beginning in 2009, Zontians began purchasing books in the Best Behavior Series, including “Hands Are Not For Hitting,” and giving them away–often the child’s first book and for some the first in the home. Every year since, Zonta Club of Hilo has continued to visit preschools to promote peaceful ways of problem solving. In addition to reading, other “Hands On” activities have including painting children’s hands and printing them for display.
Zonta Club of Hilo is member of Zonta International, whose mission is to empower women worldwide through service and advocacy.
For more information, visit www.zontahilo.org.