Pinwheels On Display In Downtown Tulsa To Raise Awareness For Child Abuse Prevention Month

You may have noticed thousands of pinwheels throughout downtown Tulsa. It’s in honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Two thousand five hundred and ninety-two pinwheels are surrounding the Parent-Child Center, each one representing a reported case of child abuse or neglect.

The bright and colorful pinwheels symbolize childhood, but the deeper meaning behind the toys is heartbreaking.

Melanie Anderegg is the President and CEO of the Parent Child Center. She said close to 2,600 cases of child abuse or neglect were reported last year in Tulsa County.

"We really do it as a depiction or a representation of what that number really looks like. Oftentimes, people really struggle with tying a figure to what that really means. And this just gives you that great representation of this is what it is,” Anderegg said.

Pinwheels are the national symbol for child abuse prevention, and Anderegg said it can also serve as a message of hope to those who see them.

"We hope that they take the opportunity to educate themselves on child abuse, get more involved in their communities with the children that are around them in their neighborhood so that we can pay attention to what the signs and symptoms are, and we can find a way to speak up and reach out,” Anderegg said.

She said everyone plays a role in protecting children, even in small ways like getting to know your neighbors, being a listening ear, or supporting a family in need.

"I mean it's so great when you go back to that cliche saying that it takes a village, it really does take a village. And our villages have changed and look a little different these days, now it's our community members that have to pull together,” Anderegg said.