MOUNT VERNON — For the third year, the Knox County Board of Commissioners met Monday morning in front of the Memorial Building with staff of the Knox County Department of Job & Family Services to declare April Child Abuse Prevention Month in the county.
On display, whirling and sparkling in the spring wind, were the Pinwheels for Prevention.
Aimee Frye, social programs specialist at KCDJFS, explained that each of the 390 red, white and blue pinwheels represents a 2005 case of reported concern about abuse or neglect of a child in Knox County.
Gloria Parsisson, administrator of KCDJFS, said that, unfortunately, that number is about the same as surrounding, similarly populated counties experience.
“It’s not really an unusual number,” she said.
For example, Licking County had 1,535 reports in 2005, Morrow had 300, Coshocton 240, Richland 1,939 and Marion County 554. The total reports for the state of Ohio number 93,251.
Parsisson said the 390 were “reports of concern,” which were investigated, but not all turned out to be actual neglect or abuse. She also said the number for 2006, 392, is slightly higher than 2005 for Knox County; both years are higher than the 322 in 2004.
Because the Pinwheels for Prevention program is used by 65 other Ohio counties and other states and the more populated areas need additional time to compile their most recent statistics, all areas use 2005 numbers.
Commissioner Tom McLarnan read a proclamation, which read, in part, “This visual reminder will serve as a call to action to Knox County residents to take action to prevent child abuse and neglect” and “Child abuse/neglect is a community problem, and finding solutions will depend on involvement of people throughout Knox County.”
The pinwheels will be displayed in front of the Memorial Building until Friday, when the display will move to Wiford Rental Sales and Service on Columbus Road. It will remain there from Friday to April 13, then at The Eagle 93.7/WMVO Radio station from April 13 to 20 and on Fredericktown’s public square from April 20 through 30.
