Children’s Center promoting Wear Blue Day

LANCASTER — The Children’s Center of the Antelope Valley kicks off Child Abuse Prevention Month, Thursday, with food and festivities.

The non-profit is partnering with local businesses to participate in National Wear Blue Day, in which people across the county wear blue as a visible commitment to prevent child abuse.

Restaurants in the Antelope Valley are going the extra mile by incorporating special blue menu items and participating retailers are offering discounts to those who wear blue.

“It is truly a testament to their generosity and desire to make our community a great place to live, work and play,” CCAV Executive Director Sue Page said.

She said local business owners have always been great supporters and fundraisers.

“We wanted to help them because they’ve been struggling so much this last year,” Page said. “It was just kind of a win-win and a way to get more awareness out there in the community, to partner with local restaurants.”

Lucky Luke Brewpub in Lancaster is one restaurant that will offer blue menu items. They will have a peanut butter, blueberry jelly thyme burger and a lemon curd tart with blueberry jalapeno jam all month long. The eatery will also give 10% of its sales on April 1 to the children’s center.

Other restaurants incorporating special blue menu items include Complexity Wine Lounge, Easy Egg Cafe, Lemon Leaf, The Original Karen’s Kitchen, Raven’s Next, Scramblez Cafe and The Third Place Barroom and Kitchen.

The AV Restaurant Support Group on Facebook will be selling limited-edition blue “AV Food Crew” T-shirts for the month of April, with all proceeds benefiting the children’s center.

“April 1 can be a full day of eating blue while supporting a worthwhile cause,” Dave Owens, an administrator for the AV Restaurant Support Group, said. “It’s really awesome to see these restaurants stepping up at a time when they’re just reopening after the pandemic closures.”

Retailer, Leo and mama’s in Lancaster, will offer a 10% discount to every customer wearing blue. They will also donate 10% of their profits from all April 1 sales to the children’s center.

In recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month, the children’s center is promoting the hashtag, #EndChildAbuseAV,

on all social media posts and is encouraging residents to post their own “go blue” photos in support of the cause.

Page said the Children Center’s goal is to break the cycle of child abuse.

“We feel that putting this great campaign out there … helps bring awareness to the community that they can do something about this,” she said.

For more information about the Children’s Center and the programs it offers https://ccav.org/ visit or call 661-949-1206 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

To purchase a blue “Food Crew” T-shirt contact AV Sports and Graphics at avsport@aol.com or call 661-945-3144.