'Pinwheels for Prevention' display represents 2,900 child abuse, neglect investigations

MANSFIELD -- With 2,900 blue pinwheels spinning on the hill, Richland County Children Services on April 14 dedicated its annual "Pinwheels for Prevention" community education display.

Each of the pinwheels placed in the lawn at the Mansfield Area YMCA along Lexington Avenue represents one of the 2,900 investigations the agency did into child abuse and neglect reports in 2010. 

Mansfield Mayor Donald Culliver attended the short dedication ceremony and read a proclamation he issued making April 2011 Child Abuse Prevention Month in the city. It echoed some of the sentiments offered by Richland County commissioners on Tuesday when they issued a proclamation of their own.

"...child abuse prevention is a community responsibility and finding solutions depends on involvement of all people; (and) effective child abuse prevention programs succeed because of partnerships among agencies, schools, religious organizations, law enforcement agencies and the business community," the mayor's proclamation said in part.

Culliver said the pinwheel campaign and display "reminds us we all have a positive role to play in supporting our community's young people and their families."

(For a photo gallery from the event, click here.)

Children Services Executive Director Randy Parker said the display of pinwheels, a toy popular for children, is a beautiful scene on a sunny morning like today.

"But each one also represents perhaps an ugly story involving the abuse or neglect of a child in 2010," said Parker, who has led the agency since 2002.  "We hope that we can reduce the number of pinwheels we place next year."

Carl Hunnell, the agency's communications supervisor, thanked Mansfield Area YMCA President and CEO Mike Kenyon and his staff for allowing the agency to use the highly visible location along a busy Mansfield street. The YMCA also allowed the agency to use its facility during the annual Swim, Bike & Run effort on April 1-2.

Hunnell also thanked two dozen Mansfield St. Peter High School students and other local young people who joined agency employees on Wednesday in placing all of the pinwheels.

Hunnell said the display will remain in its position for about a month, a daily reminder to the community of the problems in Richland County with child abuse and neglect.