Pinwheels for Prevention
April 7, 2009
The colorful pinwheels that dot the East State Street lawn in front of the Athens County Children Services sign will serve to remind the people of Athens that April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. The pinwheels were planted by Athens County Children Services and Prevent Child Abuse Ohio as part of the Pinwheels for Prevention campaign, designed to bring attention to child abuse and neglect in Athens County.
The pinwheels represent the 1,430 people in Athens County who raised their voices to protect a child in 2008.
Over 60 people gathered in the cold on Monday, April 6 to plant the pinwheels in the ground, including present and former Athens County Children Services staff, foster parents, and community members. Also in attendance were State Representative Debbie Phillips, Athens County Commissioners Lenny Eliason and Larry Payne, and Athens County Department of Jobs and Family Services Executive Director Jack Frech.
The event featured guest speaker Max Bucey. Bucey served as Executive Director or Athens County Children Services for 22 years, and has since worked with the Boy Scouts of America and the Public Children Services Association of Ohio, where he will be retiring from in July. Bucey encouraged the onlookers to continue to raise their voices to protect the children of Athens County.
Pinwheels for Prevention is a nationwide child abuse prevention awareness program, and 74 Ohio counties participated in this year's campaign. For more information on Pinwheels activities around around, please visit Prevent Child Abuse Ohio's website.
For more information on Athens County Children Services or child abuse prevention, visit www.athenschildrenservices.com
To report suspected child abuse or neglect, call 740-592-3061, Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For emergencies or after hours, call 1-877-477-0772.
