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The Hays County Commissioners Court issued three proclamations during its meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 31.
The commissioners proclaimed February as Dating Violence Awareness Month, American Heart Month and Spay/ Neuter Awareness Month in Hays County.
The Dating Violence Awareness Month proclamation calls for Hays County citizens to “work together to raise awareness and prevent dating violence in our community and beyond.”
“By providing teens and young adults with education about healthy relationships and relationship skills, and by changing attitudes that support violence, we recognize that dating violence can be prevented,” the proclamation reads. “Last year [Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center] provided 55 dating violence prevention and healthy relationships presentations to 3,394 teens and young adults ... we must work together to raise awareness and promote healthy dating relationships with activities and conversations about mutually respectful and non-violent relationships in our homes, schools, and communities.”
Commissioner Walt Smith thanked Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center for the work it does to help Dripping Springs High School’s Dating Violence Awareness and Advocacy Board.
“They work directly with Dripping Springs High School to put together an entire court proceeding,” Smith said. “For those of you who aren’t familiar with it, that court proceeding actually has individual students from Dripping Springs High School serve as every role in the mock trial with the exception of the judge. The last couple of years actually Judge [Karl] Hays, our family court judge at the district level, has presided over that mock trial … I really appreciate and want to say thank you to the Hays County Bar Association for their participation and their leadership in that role along with the Hays-Caldwell Women’s [Center].”
The first American Heart Month took place in February 1964 and was proclaimed by Lyndon B. Johnson on Dec. 30, 1963, according to the proclamation. The first Friday of every February is federally designated as American Heart Month.
More than 800,000 Americans die each year from heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular disease, the proclamation states.
“The American Heart Association encourages citizens to help save lives by calling 9-1-1 if symptoms occur, getting trained in CPR, and promoting comprehensive automated external defibrillator programs in their communities,” the proclamation reads. “San Marcos Lions Club has funded automated external defibrillators for the Price Center and the Hays County Office of Emergency Services Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT).”
Mike Thrasher, President of the San Marcos Lions Club, said the organization is honored to fund AEDs for the organizations mentioned in the proclamation.
“Thank you to the Price Center and the Hays County Office of Emergency Services for all that you do to provide services for Hays County,” Thrasher said. “As Lions we strive to be wherever and however our community needs us and couldn’t think of a better way to recognized American Heart Month than to provide AEDs to these two organizations.”
The Spay/Neuter Awareness Month proclamation urges Hays County residents “to help control pet overpopulation in our community and minimize the number of homeless cats and dogs impounded to the regional animal shelter by spaying and neutering animals in their care.”
“Spay and neuter initiatives reduce incidents of homeless animals, certain life-threatening diseases and even curb negative behavior,” the proclamation reads. “The regional animal shelter reported that there were 4,420 animals impounded in FY 2022, of which 32%, 1,417 animals, were from Hays County; and whereas, the Hays County Commissioners court, in support of the No-Kill initiative, endorses responsible pet ownership and encourages the community to 'fix' their pets to curb the number of pets which may become homeless, stray, or enter the regional animal shelter; and whereas, Spay & Neuter of pets and Trap-Neuter-Return of community cats are integral components of the No-Kill Equation.”
Cara Stewart, Marketing Coordinator for PAWS Shelter of Central Texas, thanked the Hays County Commissioners Court for its support for Spay/Neuter Awareness Month.
“It is so wonderful to see our county government support such a worthy cause for all of Hays County citizens,” Stewart said. “PAWS is participating in National Spay and Neuter Day for the entire month of February. We believe this subject deserves more than just the attention of the 25th … Last year, we had 378 cats and 46 dogs that were spayed and neutered through our Dripping Springs surgery center. We currently partner with other local rescue groups such as Thundering Paws, PALS of San Marcos, Blanco Cat Coalition and our [Trap-Neuter-Return] program in Wimberley.”
For the complete meeting and agenda, visit hayscountytx. com/commissioners- court/court-video.
