Staff and volunteers of Family Services Willow Tree Cornerstone Child Advocacy Center in Green Bay planted nearly 103 pinwheels outside their facility on S. Monroe Avenue, April 1, 2024. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A pinwheel display outside a Green Bay organization serves as a reminder to keep children safe.
Staff and volunteers of Family Services Willow Tree Cornerstone Child Advocacy Center planted nearly 103 pinwheels outside their facility on S. Monroe Avenue Monday.
Each pinwheel represents a child helped at Willow Tree so far this year due to allegations of sexual or physical abuse, neglect, or other maltreatment.
“The pinwheel is the national symbol for child abuse prevention. It represents what we want for every child, a safe and care-free childhood that is free from abuse and neglect,” said Kristie Sickel, child forensic interviewer/program manager.
It’s part of April’s Child Abuse Prevention Month.
“It’s an unfortunate reality that we have in our community but it’s also good to know that we have a facility in Brown County that offers services to a child as they navigate through a child abuse investigation but at the same time, provides them supportive services to help them move forward, helping them move forward from the abuse that they experienced and most importantly, helping them understand that what happened to them is not their fault,” Sickel said.
About 5,000 suspected cases of child abuse are reported in Brown County in a typical year. Family Services hopes the display will call attention to the importance of early intervention for victims, as well as prevention programs to ensure that parents have the proper knowledge, skills and resources they need to care for their children.
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