CASA Mesa County & Colorado Events. PRESS RELEASE CASA of Mesa County,          Shirley Rowe 242-4191  Strong Families Safe Kids   Bobbi Cline, 254-8240 For Immediate Release Child Abuse Balloon Vigil On Wednesday, April 5^th at 7:00pm in the City Auditorium Grand Junction City Council will proclaim April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. Immediately following the proclamation, at approximately 7:15 pm on the courthouse steps (544 Rood Ave),  Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and Strong Families, Safe Kids will sponsor a Child Abuse Balloon Vigil.  The Balloon Vigil will include a short program and a walk. At the conclusion of the walk, 367 balloons will be released, to symbolize each of the 367 victims of child abuse in Mesa County in 2005. The Balloon Vigil is in recognition of all children who are victims of abuse and neglect, and specifically in memory of Keaton Anderson, who at the young age of 18 months, died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head, caused by “someone hitting him with an open hand repeatedly on his head”, according to the Coroner’s report.  Every year approximately 1,300 referrals of child abuse/neglect are reported to Mesa County Department of Human Services.  At any given time, there are 350 to 400  children living in out-of-home placements.  With the increase of meth use by parents, child abuse and/or neglect is even more frequent and more traumatic for children in our community. The community is invited and helpful information will be available for both parents who might be struggling and community members who want to know what they can do to prevent child abuse in Mesa County. Save the Date. Stay Tuned For More Announcements. ·