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By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor

ALABASTER – Local families can look forward to a day of fun activities while learning more about child abuse awareness and prevention during the fourth annual Pinwheels for Prevention event.

The Shelby County Children’s Policy Council will host another installment of Pinwheels for Prevention on Saturday, April 26 from 10 a.m. to noon at Alabaster’s Veterans Park.

“I am truly looking forward to this year’s event,” said Jo Davis, chairperson for the council’s Parent Involvement and Skills Committee. “This will be our fourth annual Pinwheels for Prevention event, and it continues to grow in Shelby County. More organizations continue to join us to help as we continue to share this event with local families.”

The event is free for visitors to attend and will feature more than 25 different organizations that are willing to share information and resources with families. Additionally, there will be a variety of activities for children to enjoy such as games, treats, bounce houses and face painting.

“Since 1983, April has been recognized as being Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month,” Davis said. “So, as a team, we all wanted to create an event where families come out to learn more about abuse prevention and to also learn more about many local organizations that help families in many ways. We wanted to create an event that was free, enjoyable but also educational.”

A medical mobile unit will be present at the event and will be providing medical information. Representatives of the Shelby County Children Policy will also be in attendance and will be giving out pinwheels and asking participants to sign a banner acknowledging they understand the importance of child abuse awareness and prevention.

The event gets its namesake from pinwheels which are used as the symbol for child abuse prevention and awareness, along with a blue ribbon.

“Blue pinwheels are used to represent a childhood that is safe from abuse and neglect. It is a representation of children experiencing joy during their childhood,” Davis said.

Prevent Child Abuse America launched the Pinwheels for Prevention campaign in 2008 and made the blue pinwheel the national symbol of the movement.

“The Parent Involvement and Skills Committee with the Shelby County Children’s Policy Council has now been working together to put on this event for the last four years,” Davis said. “We are all trying to work together to help families in Shelby County.”

More information on the Shelby County Children’s Policy Council can be found on its official Facebook page.