Pinwheel walk raises awareness of child abuse prevention in Medina

The Children’s Center of Medina County will hold its ninth annual Community Pinwheel Walk to Prevent Child Abuse on Sunday, April 19, from 12:30-4 p.m. at Medina Square.

This year’s event has been expanded to include more family-friendly activities, resource tables and food trucks along Broadway, which will be closed for the duration of the event. Games and activities will include visits with princess and superhero characters, face painting and balloons. Participants are encouraged to wear blue, the designated color for child abuse prevention, to show their support.

The Pinwheel Walk brings the community together to raise awareness of child abuse and neglect. Pinwheels are a national symbol for child abuse prevention as they represent hope, healing and positive change through community involvement.

This year’s theme focuses on the joyful lives every child deserves and how the community can play a role in building joyful childhoods together.

The official program will begin at 2:45 p.m. at the gazebo and will include proclamations from the city of Medina and the Medina County commissioners recognizing April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. Attendees will also have the opportunity to recognize professionals who support children and hear from Heather Setser, a survivor who will share her experience and her work assisting families affected by substance use disorder.

The 1-mile walk will begin at 3:25 p.m., passing the police station, County Administration Building and Medina County Courthouse, and will conclude at the Medina Library. There, 457 pinwheels will be planted, each representing a case of child abuse or neglect investigated by Medina County Job and Family Services in 2025.

Bikers Unbroken, Catholic Charities, Hope and Healing Resource Center, OhioGuidestone, Medina County Coalition Against Human Trafficking, Medina County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Medina County Job and Family Services, Medina Recreation Center and The Children’s Center of Medina County will host games and activities and provide resources.

The Fairytale Foundation and Super Heroes to Kids in Ohio will provide characters, Enchantaroo Face and Body Art will offer face painting, and Bubbles & Bows will provide balloons. Huntington Bank will provide ice cream treats, and food trucks will include Dad’s to Go and Lerch’s Donuts.

For more information and to register, visit MedinaCountyChildrensCenter.org. More than 200 community members participated last year, and organizers hope for even greater attendance this year.

The Children’s Center of Medina County works to reduce trauma by providing a pathway to healing for children and families impacted by abuse, neglect and exploitation.