The children of the Ohio Valley are among our most precious resources, if not the most precious. Their safety is paramount. And during April’s Family Strengthening and Child Abuse Prevention Month, the Ohio County Family Resource Network has honored four individuals for their work caring for those children.

The Deborah Doleski Allen Champion of Children awards recently were handed out with four members of the community being lauded for their endeavors in supporting children.

“This team is just a partial representation of the dedicated service providers and community members all working collaboratively to prevent child abuse by promoting strategies that strengthen and support families,” said OCFRN Executive Director Claudia Raymer McKay. “It’s truly an honor to be with you today as we celebrate four individuals who have gone above and beyond supporting children here in our community.”

Shelly Miller, Teresa Richmond and Amy and Mike Murphy have gone above and beyond the call for area kids — Miller with her work with the Ready Set School before-school care program, Richmond’s leadership with Sexual Assault Response teams and the Murphys’ dedication to families following the deadly 2025 Ohio County floods.

These four serve as shining examples of how the Ohio Valley cares for its children.