EDITOR,

Tuesday, May 25, is International Missing Children’s Day. It is a day on which people around the world commemorate the missing children who have found their way home, remember those who have been victims of crime, and continue efforts to find those who are still missing.

At the Tracy City Council meeting on May 18, 2010, Mayor Brent Ives presented Dr. James Franco (Tracy Unified School District’s superintendent) with a proclamation officially identifying May 25, 2010, as Missing Children’s Day in Tracy and proclaiming the city’s support for missing children’s awareness. The purpose of the Missing Children’s Day project is to not only raise awareness of children who are already missing, but also to educate parents, foster parents, guardians and children themselves to identify situations that put our children at risk.

Children go missing for many reasons: Some are abducted by strangers, acquaintances, friends and, sadly, even parents; some run away from their homes for various reasons; and some simply get lost, whether from wandering away or just a lack of awareness of their surroundings.

It takes many vigilant people to keep our children safe: The volunteers promoting missing children’s awareness and child ID efforts; the professionals such as teachers, administrators and social workers who identify and intervene when children are at risk; and perhaps our children’s greatest allies, the concerned and observant adults around them.

While we observe International Missing Children’s Day every year on May 25, being aware of missing children and educating yourselves and your children about being safe is not a once-a-year thing. We need to remind ourselves daily of the challenges to keep our children safe and be aware of the dangers facing them.

The theme for International Missing Children’s Day 2010 is parental child abduction, an issue that is not only complex but something that is becoming more common.

I urge every citizen to not only observe International Missing Children’s Day on May 25, but to also remain concerned, observant and vigilant every other day of the year. Our children depend on us to help keep them safe. We cannot let them down.