A blue, plastic, and easily breakable pinwheel may not seem like much to some people. To many others, however, it is a symbol- the symbol of child abuse prevention.
Debbie Dailey, Assistant Director for Healthy Families at The Villages, which is an agency focused on making sure that every child has a nurturing home and family, said the pinwheels represent more than a toy.
"It represents a promise that each child brings to our community; it represents the fun that should be there in a child’s life," Dailey said.
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and every year these blue pinwheels make their return to the streets of Muncie.
PCA’S Evening of Prayers on April 4 is about remembering the children who lost their lives to child abuse and looking ahead to the future of saving others. Blue pinwheels are placed in front of City Hall so that all the people who drive by are made aware of the issue in Indiana.
A new report from the Children’s Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says that Indiana has child abuse rates more than double the national average.
In Indiana however, it is the law for anyone in the state to report child abuse. Other states do not require that.
Justin Wallen, director of quality assurance at the Youth Opportunity Center in Muncie, said “The numbers do not look great, but all we can do is look onto the future and learn from things that have not worked and do better.”
There are child abuse prevention events throughout the rest of April, including a fundraiser from Ball State’s Kappa Delta Sorority that includes a carnival in the hopes of getting money to pay for more pinwheels and spread further awareness.