Bucks Children's Advocacy Center 'plants' 50 pinwheel gardens

Bright, colorful gardens of toy pinwheels will sprout in public spots throughout Bucks County in April – Child Abuse Prevention Month – to raise awareness of the importance of preventing and reporting child abuse.

Organized by the Bucks County Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) and sponsored by local organizations and businesses, the gardens represent the courage and commitment shown by Bucks County individuals in reporting more than 800 cases of suspected child abuse last year, according to Leslie Slingsby, CAC director.

“More than 50 pinwheel garden sponsors from Bucks County government, private businesses, police departments, social service agencies and religious organizations all want to publicize the importance of protecting the children in our communities, and the CAC is tremendously grateful for their support,” Slingsby said.

Financial support from Parx Casino and Zubaida Foundation has assisted in the creation and distribution of the pinwheel gardens.

Slingsby reports that in January and February of this year, the CAC saw an almost 200-percent increase in the number of requests for child-friendly interviews in suspected child abuse cases. Experts attribute this to Pennsylvania’s recently passed law that requires people in health care, teaching, social service, day care, allied volunteers and others who interact with children to report suspected child abuse to the proper authorities.

“The increase in reporting also shows that there is a growing commitment from everyone in Bucks County – not only police and agencies designed to address child abuse – to play a role in preventing and ending child abuse,” Slingsby said.

Those who suspect that a child may be in danger of being abused can call ChildLine, the statewide hotline, at 1.800.932.0313.

The CAC wishes to thank these organizations who are hosting pinwheel gardens this April and invite the public to visit the gardens near them.

NOVA Thrift Shop
NOVA Jamison
NOVA Perkasie
NOVA Fairless Hills
Doylestown United Methodist Church
Central Bucks Family YMCA
Lower Bucks Family YMCA
Upper Bucks Family YMCA
YWCA
Bucks County Intermediate Unit
Penndel Police Department
Children of America
United Friends School
Zubaida Foundation
Bright Horizons
Middletown Friends Meeting
First United Methodist Church
Child, Home and Community
CB Cares
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Doylestown
J. Carroll Molloy Realtors
Southampton Friends Meeting
Plumstead Friends Meeting
Bucks County Housing Group
Calvary Community Church
National Penn Bank
Ash Mill Farm
PA Soup and Seafood
Andre’s Wine and Cheese
Bobby Simone’s
Café D’Alessio
Chris’s Cottage
Doylestown Bookshop
Monkey’s Uncle
The Farm
Hilltown Township Police Department
St. John’s Lutheran Church
A Woman’s Place
Trinity Lutheran Church
Libertae
Yardley Friends Meeting
Lower Bucks Community Support
Central Bucks Community Support
Upper Bucks Community Support