Every April, our agency steps back from the daily tasks to take a look at concentrating on prevention. April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, recognized nationally since 1983. For nearly 40 years, agencies around the US have honored child abuse victims and worked to emphasize prevention.
Locally, we spend a lot of time trying to let the public know that child abuse is a real thing. It’s everywhere and we want everyone to know that prevention education is the key to mitigating the effects.
One activity that is conducted nationally and locally is the Pinwheels for Prevention Ceremony. The pinwheel is the national symbol for child abuse awareness. It is meant to symbolize the childhood we all want for children. Whimsical, carefree, fun…..that’s how childhood should be.
Throughout the month of April, we will be planting pinwheels all around Northwest Missouri.
- April 7 – Maryville
- April 12 – Plattsburg
- April 14 – Rockport
- April 21 – Savannah
- April 26 – St. Joseph
These plantings are held in many of the counties where our CAC serves children. In each of these areas, we have team members who are also working hard to keep children safe from abuse. We plant these pinwheels together, which symbolizes our collective commitment to those children.
It’s important for everyone to keep child abuse at the top of their priority list. If we are all aware of the signs and symptoms, then everyone is in a better position to report abuse. This in turn keeps children safer, happier and healthier. Isn’t that what we all really want for them?
Please join us at our final pinwheel ceremony in St. Joseph on April 26 at 11AM. This ceremony will be held at the corner of Belt and Frederick, in cooperation with our friends at the East Hills Mall. We will have a mayoral proclamation designating April as Child Abuse Awareness Month in St. Joseph for 2022.
