Springtime is beginning to bud, and amid all the colorful flowers that are shooting through the ground is a few patches of blue pinwheels that have taken root. It’s part of the county’s involvement with a grassroots campaign across the state to call attention to child abuse and neglect.
During the month of April, child abuse prevention month, communities across Tennessee are participating in Pinwheels for Prevention. In our county, Cindy McCann is leading the effort.
“Each pinwheel represents one case of child abuse in Tennessee,” McCann, a foster parent out of Camelot’s Cookeville office explained. “I shared with my foster child what they meant, and he wanted to plant a garden. This is kind of his story, so this means a lot to me,” she added.
McCann and her friends and family planted a couple hundred pinwheels in the ground at all of the county schools, the courthouse, school board, and head start.
“This group is putting out 1,800 here in DeKalb County,” she said.
Across Tennessee, 50,000 pinwheels will be planted at local businesses, schools, community centers, and churches. The campaign kicks off this year with a free event at Farmer’s Market in Nashville on April 4.
According to Prevent Child Abuse Tennessee, the pinwheel garden demonstrates commitment to building a healthy community and investing in the lives of children. The pinwheel reminds us of childlike notions and symbolizes the healthy, happy, carefree childhood that all children deserve.
(TOP PHOTO: Foster mom Cindy McCann and a group of children pose in their Pinwheel Garden at DeKalb West School. The group planted 200 blue pinwheels Saturday afternoon (March 28) by the school’s marque’ to call attention to child abuse prevention month in April)
(BOTTOM PHOTO: Cindy McCann and Friends Planting Pinwheels at the Courthouse)
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