Pinwheels event raises child-abuse awareness

Staff report

BOARDMAN

Each of the 1,317 pinwheels placed on the Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley’s Beeghly Campus represents a child who received child-abuse services in Mahoning County in 2010.

The sixth annual Pinwheels for Prevention event at the campus Tuesday — sponsored by Akron Children’s Child Advocacy Center and Mahoning County Children Services Board — recognized April as Child Abuse Prevention Month.

This year’s theme was “Winds of Change: It’s Your Turn to Raise the Leaders of Tomorrow,” said Annamarie Sofran, senior public-relations specialist for Akron Children’s.

The keynote speaker was Mahoning County Probate Judge Mark Belinky. Other speakers were Denise Stewart and Radhika Cruz, executive director and community education specialist, respectively, for Mahoning County CSB.

Akron Children’s Child Advocacy Center, 1350 Fifth Ave., Suite 106, provides medical and forensic evaluations for children and teens who may have been physically or sexually abused, as well as complete medical evaluations for kids in foster care.

The center also is involved in community outreach initiatives, including a campaign to promote greater awareness of shaken baby syndrome.