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In recognition of Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month the Child Advocacy Center (CAC) of Oswego County is collaborating with its community partners to help raise awareness of child abuse in Oswego County.
The Oswego and Fulton City Mayors Offices and School Districts, the Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce, and members of the Child Protection Advisory Council (CPAC): Catholic Charities of Oswego County, United Way of Greater Oswego County, OCO, Inc., Huntington Family Center, Oswego County Health Department, and the Oswego County Department of Social Services have come together to be a part of the CAC’s Pinwheels for Prevention program. An initiative of Prevent Child Abuse America, the focus of the Pinwheels for Prevention program is to not only raise awareness of child abuse but, more importantly, transform that awareness into action.
“We’re planting Pinwheel Gardens throughout Oswego County,” said CAC Executive Director Karrie Damm. “Pinwheel Gardens will be located in front of participating schools as well as several of the Chamber’s Project Bloom sites including the garden at the southern entrance way to Oswego on Route 481, and two Project Bloom gardens along Rt. 481 in Fulton. “We planted 25 Mylar pinwheels, with each pinwheel representing 20 children that have suffered physical or sexual abuse and received services from the CAC in 2016. The pinwheels serve as a visual reminder of a problem that often goes unnoticed.”
“The Pinwheels for Prevention program encourages and empowers community members to get involved and joins us in our effort to end child abuse in Oswego County. I’m grateful for the support we are receiving and for the opportunity to plant pinwheel gardens. Pinwheels are the representation that every child deserves a happy, healthy, safe childhood,” added Damm. If you’d like to purchase pinwheels for your yard, they are $2 each and can be picked up at the CAC.
Located at 301 Beech Street in Fulton, the CAC is a non-profit organization that works hand-in-hand with local law enforcement, prosecution, child protective services, medical providers, mental health providers, and victim advocacy professionals in Oswego County to protect and serve child victims of sexual and physical abuse. In 2016 the CAC served 497 children and families in Oswego County.
