Re: the Christmas float. When I read that post yesterday, I happened to be sitting with a SAR buddy of mine, who kinda shook his head and smiled and said at least they're trying. We both know small towns and Christmas parades, and how they bring everyone out- and are usually very sweet and fun and family oriented with Santa coming last etc etc....so seems like a great place to get Cassie's face out there.
However, his hesitation (shared by myself) was the flip side of that same coin. First off, it is hometown Stuttgart- the population in attendance should already be very aware of Cassie's disappearance.... And we wouldn't want it to lean toward a 'rememberence' type event, because Cassie may very well be alive, but unsafe, somewhere. We want the goal to be FINDING this local child. Now, how to get that across at a Christmas parade, attended by a ton of locals?
My first thought is to get people talking and sharing thoughts. Like, OK, Cassie's favorite color is purple....everyone wear purple but maybe take it up a notch and wear cowboy boots too. (Were her cowboy boots maybe light purple suede?) Talk about looking for Cassie when you are out and about and see purple- for example, you take a trip into Little Rock to go Xmas shopping, you see someone wearing a purple ski jacket at the mall....do a quick face check off all the strangers around you, with an eye for Cassie's face, etc. Somehow, we need to get those little tricks of memory and awareness back into the local community kwim? The float could be really useful for that, but disastrous if it turns into either a debacle, or a drama scene, or a rememberance event.
We know the FB people care, and read here, and are asking and working hard at taking advice. Let's help them with this.
Personally, I think plentiful and well managed tip boxes are critical, as well as child safety in the community, unsafe situations, places and people to go to when you feel unsafe that ARE safe, runaway and suicide and teen helplines etc etc. And reminders to families that we all need to look after not only our own children, but others as well. It takes a village really is true. No more children through the cracks.
Thoughts?
