The safety of children is once again in the spotlight in Henry County.
Prevent Child Abuse Henry County will host its annual Pinwheel Vigil March 28 from 6:30-8 p.m., Claude Gray Park, 99 Frances Ward Drive in Locust Grove. The occasion will serve as the kickoff for this year’s observance of Child Abuse Prevention Month.
Numerous volunteers come together to help Prevent Child Abuse Henry County in its mission to protect kids. The organization will hold its annual Pinwheel Vigil Thursday. Special photo
Robin Jones is the program coordinator for Prevent Child Abuse Henry County. She said the Paint Henry Blue campaign is a month-long initiative designed to “bring awareness and prevention of child abuse to the forefront and to make a positive difference” locally.
“By ‘Painting Henry Blue’ in April, we hope to provide a visual reminder of the need for child protection in our community,” said Jones.
The Henry County High School ROTC group will give a presentation of colors to begin this year’s vigil. The event will also include performances from the choir at Unity Grove High School, and the KP Piano Club.
According to Jones, the Henry County Department of Family and Children Services had more than 2,500 reports of child abuse in 2019. She said the Paint Henry Blue campaign helps to alert the community to this issue and to promote children’s well-being.
“We have 225 children in foster care,” said Jones. “It comes to children and families. Since 1989, thousands of people nationwide wear the blue ribbon during April and year-round to create awareness of the need to prevent child abuse and neglect. The pinwheel serves as the national symbol for child abuse prevention. It is a reflection of hope, health and safety.”
Prevent Child Abuse Henry County is operating this year under the theme “See Something, Say Something.” Throughout Child Abuse Prevention Month, the organization uses the pinwheels as “a symbol of hope” to drive home the need to protect children.
For the second straight year, Prevent Child Abuse Henry County will award a $500 college scholarship during the vigil, for a student in need.
“We call it the Paint the Future Scholarship,” said Jones.
A number of local entities are joining forces with Prevent Child Abuse Henry County through pinwheel activities, public service announcements, social media outreach, and educational materials. Those entities include: the Henry County Department of Family and Children Services; the Southern Crescent Child Advocacy Center; the Henry County Library System; Connecting Henry; the District Attorney’s Office; A Friend’s House; and city governments in McDonough, Stockbridge, Hampton and Locust Grove.
Such collaboration, said Jones, is “extremely important” in accomplishing the goal of protecting children in the area.
Prevent Child Abuse Henry County launched its Paint Henry Blue efforts in 2013. Since that time, Jones said, the organization has seen a “steady increase of participation” from local residents each year. “Every April, thousands of pinwheels and bows are distributed across our county and state in order to promote and support child-abuse prevention awareness,” said Jones. “It’s to bring about awareness, to the community, about child abuse and prevention of child abuse. We’ve had a great response and the crowd grows every year as people become more aware of what we’re doing. We’re hoping that people will take an individual interest in protecting children.”
