Writer honored for contributions to child abuse prevention efforts
NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) (April 7, 2022) – Area child abuse prevention advocates are recognizing one of their own for the first time since the onset of the pandemic.
Barb Limbacher of Strasburg is the Noah’s Hope Child Advocacy Center’s 10th Voice for All Children Award recipient for her contributions to the cause, including more than 15 years with the committee behind the Pinwheels for Prevention display that goes up on the courthouse steps each April. Limbacher says she’s honored and humbled to have been selected.
“It was a surprise, and I wasn’t really expecting to get something like this. I am so passionate about children and just want to help and see if things can be turned around and changed; and we are doing a good job at looking at all these things, so I enjoy serving on this committee.”
Center Director Mandy Willet presented the award during Wednesday’s county commissioners’ meeting. She says they wanted to recognize Limbacher publicly the past two years ago but couldn’t because of the COVID.
“Unfortunately the pandemic has quashed our ceremony for the last two years, so we’re really excited to do it again this year.”
Limbacher has worked as a correspondent for The Times-Reporter for the past 41 years. Willet says committee members invited her to join the effort after reading a story she wrote about a puppy mill in Baltic.