Event serves as awareness tool to stop child abuse

In an attempt to bring awareness of child abuse to the community, Advocates to End Domestic Violence is participating in events during the month of April, National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

More than 12,700 reports of child abuse were investigated in Nevada in 2008 " 459 in Carson City.

A highlight of the campaign will be the placing of 12,783 pinwheels in front of courthouses, playgrounds, government offices, libraries and parks throughout the state on April 15. Each pinwheel represents a report filed or investigated of child abuse in Nevada during 2008.

In Carson City, 459 pinwheels will be displayed in front of the Nevada State Legislature building in recognition of the number of child abuse reports investigated here.

Students at Seeliger Elementary School recently helped make the pinwheels in a pilot project. The students also learned about personal safety throughout the school week.

"When considering a child's safety, we need to see them as our children, it's everybody's business (when children are abused)," said Rhonda Roth, parenting coordinator for Advocates to End Domestic Violence.

Seeliger school counselor Cindy Reyes said that during the week, the children were taught how to keep themselves safe.

"We told them what to do if they're being hurt, if they're approached by strangers, and who they can tell when something happens," Reyes said.

As some of the children finished coloring their pinwheels, they danced about, blowing on them, smiling as the blades twirled with color.

"I know why we're making the pinwheels," said 8-year-old Danielle Welch. "We're learning about safety, so we're making pinwheels for other kids."

Danielle chatted with Rhiannon Jimmy, 9, Kai Ikehara, 8, and Dean Poppenga, 8, who wrote a message on his pinwheel " "I love my family."

"We're doing this as a pilot project with the school," Roth said. "We'll see how it goes and possibly do it city-wide next year."

Roth said the investigated reports for 2008 are lower than 2007. However, inquiry calls, not calls to report abuse, were included in the 2007 statistics.

"The calls are received and responded to at some level," Roth said. "All kids in some way are protected."

"You just don't know when you're actually going to save a child's life (with a phone call). The call is an act of kindness and it's the responsibility as a member of the community."

- Contact Rhonda Costa at rcosta@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1223.