Public Communication

Media File

Here are the recent press clips from Pinwheels for Prevention events across the state.

Pinwheels for Prevention At Canyon View Park on Saturday, there was a garden of blue pinwheels twirling around. Posted: 8:19 PM Apr 17, 2010 Reporter: Lizz Marrs, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Pinwheels for Prevention

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO)- At Canyon View Park on Saturday, there was a garden of blue pinwheels twirling around.

These whimsical toys were out to remind the community of happy childhood days and encourage positive parenting.

Pinwheels for Prevention is in honor of child abuse prevention month.

Nearly 900,000 pinwheels have been displayed across the country since April 2008.

DON COLEMAN, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) -- Pinwheels dotted across mesa county signify a movement, an effort to end all child abuse in our state.

"[People need to] care what happens to the other children around you when you see them on the street, and make sure families know how to get help when things go wrong," said Kendra Dunn with Prevent Child Abuse Colorado.

The group brings the campaign to Mesa County for the first time ever.

1,000 pinwheels will be planted across the area, all part of the Child Abuse Prevention Month of April.

The group is working closely with Mesa State College, the Department of Human Services, and many other organizations.

Pinwheels are popping up in front yards across Colorado, and a whole garden of them sprouted in Fruita on Thursday for Child Abuse Prevention month. A garden of blue pinwheels was set up for preschoolers to pick in front of the Human Services satellite office. It was part of the Pinwheels for Prevention campaign, launched by Prevent Child Abuse Colorado.

The organization wants to raise community awareness and focuses on how people can actively make sure child abuse and neglect never happens.

“It’s to plant pinwheel gardens as a real positive affirmation of childhood,” said Donna Bennett, from How Are the Children? “We’re not stressing the child abuse part of it so much as the prevention.”

Nearly 1,000 pinwheels will be distributed in Mesa County during the statewide campaign.

Pinwheel garden delights children in Fruita

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Richie Ann Ashcraft

Children from the Fruita Head Start enjoyed free pinwheels from the national Pinwheels fro Prevention garden which took place at the Fruita Department of Human Services.

By Richie Ann Ashcraft
Thursday, April 15, 2010

The first of several pinwheel gardens, sponsored by the national Prevent Child Abuse America program and a variety of local child abuse prevention agencies, was created Thursday morning on the lawn of the new Department of Human Services in Fruita.

Children from Fruita’s Head Start program enjoyed free punch and snacks before selecting pinwheels. They ran up and down the lawn, pausing to blow some extra air into the toy, to achieve the fastest possible spin on the blue and silver wheel.

Most importantly, the children were laughing.

“This is just a whimsical representation of how children should be celebrated and not abused,” said Stacey Mascarenas, Fruita city council member.

She hoped that the free toys, to be distributed throughout the valley this month, would remind parents that children were not a negative in their lives, but were a beautiful blessing to be enjoyed.

“We just want them to play and be happy,” Mascarenas said.

The Fruita garden was sponsored by Little Sprout Day Care, Western Valley Family Practice, Wakefield Real Estate, and Mike Daniels of American Family Insurance.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and Month of the Young Child.

In honor of these designations, a number of local agencies have partnered to organize child abuse awareness events such as the pinwheel gardens.

Those agencies include “How are the Children?,” the Domestic Violence Task Force, Mesa County Department of Human Services, and the Family Violence Prevention Project.

Another pinwheel garden event will take place at noon Friday outside of Houston Hall at Mesa State College.

The largest garden will be planted at the “Day in the Park” event taking place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Canyon View Park. There will be free hot dogs, drinks and activities for children.