Fallon Shoshone Paiute Tribe annual pinwheel walk brings awareness to child abuse

The Fallon Shoshone Paiute Tribe concludes an important week of awareness and volunteering with its annual Child Abuse Prevention Walk and Earth Day at Oats Park.

On Saturday, residents and anyone who desires to bring attention to child abuse will walk from Oats Park to Fox Peak Station to make the community more aware of this problem. Child abuse is not only a problem within Churchill County and the City of Fallon but also within the American Indian population. Earlier this month, Churchill County Social Services and other agencies conducted a ceremony at Millennium Park as part of Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Jennifer Pishion, FPST’s Youth and Family Services director, encourages residents and guests to be part of the walk and then to enjoy Earth Day activities. She said registration starts at 8:30 a.m. for the walk that begins a half hour later.

“This has been a collaborative effort with Churchill County,” Pishion said on Wednesday, referring to April’s kickoff and subsequent activities.

Beginning at the southwest part of Oats Park, volunteers will walk to Fox Peak where they’ll plant pinwheels in a grassy area facing East Williams Avenue. Pishion said many of the walkers, young and old, plant the pinwheels in honor of all children. Last year about 100 people walked from Oats Park to Fox Peak.

“The pinwheels bring awareness to child abuse,” Pishion said. “Everyone is welcome.”

She added FPST’s Youth and Family Services also participates in informational events such as health fairs and other walks as well as handling incidences involving elder abuse and other crisis intervention. Pishion emphasizes that families, no matter where they live in the county, are very concerned about child abuse.

“It’s not so much a hidden agenda now,” said Laura Ijames, FPST’s secretary said before last year’s walk. “If people see something, they are more willing to reach out and get help. We have a lot more community outreach to help the tribe, the county and city.”

Protecting both people of all ages from abuse and Earth are two important causes for the FPST. Vendors representing local and out-of-area agencies will set up at Oats Park in a day of celebration that runs from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Many displays educate visitors about the land and environment, and vendors will offer raffles, games, activities, local artists and crafters and food.

Prior to Saturday’s Earth Day, the Environmental Protection Department is overseeing a plethora of activities including an Earth Day poster contest, community clean-up day, FreeCycle Day where people dropped off items in good condition and took something home they needed, National Geographic Movie Night about the impact people have on the environment and Emergency Preparedness Night that presented information on how resident can be prepared for natural disasters, acts of terrorism and pandemics.

On Saturday at the Earth Day celebration, Rogue River brings its music to the Centennial Stage, the Konor Brothers have a juggling act and the Young Chief drum group will sing. Exhibition dancers who want to perform will receive an Earth Day T-shirt and a free Indian taco.