BISHOP, CA — Community leaders, service providers, and local residents gathered in Bishop this week for a solemn flag-raising ceremony to mark Child Abuse Prevention Month and honor the memory of children who have lost their lives to abuse and neglect.

The event, organized by the Inyo County Child Abuse Prevention Council (CAPC), served as both a memorial and a call to action for the Eastern Sierra community. Stephanie Tanksley, Chair of the CAPC, opened the ceremony by emphasizing that the flag serves as a visual reminder of a national crisis that requires local solutions.

“Prevention doesn’t belong to one agency or one person or one community; it belongs to the whole community—it belongs to all of us,” Tanksley told the crowd. She encouraged attendees to recommit to strengthening families and to “step in and step up” when they see a child in need.

The ceremony included a land acknowledgment from Victoria Begay, a member of the Bishop Paiute Tribe and the CAPC. Begay spoke from the heart, touching on the historical trauma of the boarding school era and its lasting impact on Indigenous children and families, while also acknowledging the importance of “Mother Earth” following the recent Earth Day.

Inyo County Health and Human Services Director Anna Scott highlighted the collaborative effort required to protect the county’s youth. She credited the daily work of social workers, law enforcement, probation officers, and educators in maintaining a safety net for local families.

“This day each year is such a powerful reminder of the importance of the work that all of you do every single day,” Scott said. “It’s a time for inward reflection as well as an opportunity for us to get together and network and recommit to our desire to ensure that we continue to have a safe environment for all children in Inyo County.”

The event concluded with personal reflections from Pastor Rick Klug, who has served as a resource (foster) parent for over 16 years. Klug shared his journey from being a reluctant candidate to a dedicated advocate for children in the foster system. He spoke candidly about the challenges and the “heartache” of the work, but also the profound joy found in helping biological parents work toward reunification.

“The romanticized version is that you’re bringing a kid in and saving them,” Klug said. “And while that often is true, it’s not romantic. It’s real life. It’s been a privilege and humbling, and I’m actually very thankful to be able to share some of that journey.”

Ambrosia Stone, the Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer for the Bishop Paiute Tribe, addressed a gathering in the Owens Valley for a Child Abuse Awareness event.

Stone, who was born and raised in the Owens Valley and is originally from Pyramid Lake, expressed his gratitude to the various community departments in attendance, including:

• The City of Bishop

• Inyo County

• Probation Department

• Police Department

A Call for Self-Care Among Frontline Staff

During his address, Stone emphasized the importance of self-care for those working on the front lines of child protection.

“The work that we take home, the feelings, the emotions that we take home and that we carry can be burdensome for us. We’re the frontline staff, right? We’re on the front line, we’re the first to show up, we’re the first to receive the phone call.”

He encouraged all attendees to take a moment for themselves as he offered an honorary song, a tradition he has upheld at this event for the past several years.

The Paiute Shoshone Flag Song

Stone concluded his remarks by performing the Paiute Shoshone Flag Song, a piece he was taught at the age of ten by the late Gail Hansen. He thanked the Hansen family for allowing him to continue sharing the song, which he has now been singing for 28 years.

The event served as a powerful reminder of the tireless hours committed to the well-being of children within the Bishop and surrounding communities and the ongoing collaboration between the Bishop Paiute Tribe and local government agencies.

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