Pinwheels bring awareness to abuse

More than 300 colorful pinwheels fluttering in the wind on the lawn at Clark Fork Valley Hospital might not halt violence against children, but hospital staff hopes they will attract enough attention to make people aware that there is a problem.

Dwy Simpson, the hospital's Community Health Outreach Coordinator, and volunteer Jasmine Trull "planted" 300 blue pinwheels in the hospital's "Pinwheel Garden" in front of nursing home Friday in an effort to bring to light the evils of child abuse and the awareness of Child Abuse Prevention. Simpson had planned a ceremony to kick off the program, but continuous rain prompted a cancellation. However, she and 16-year-old Trull put out the 300 12-inch tall pinwheels anyway.

The display is part of Child Abuse Prevention Month and will remain on the hospital lawn throughout the month. The display is visible to anyone who goes to the front of the hospital or to the long term care facility. "If it helps just one person, then we're doing our job," said Simpson. She received a pinwheel pin about the program several years ago when she was a medical assistant in Kalispell. She thought it was a great idea and decided to do it when she got the job at Clark Fork Valley Hospital. Though the Sanders County Coalition For Families (SCCFF) has held domestic violence awareness programs for years, this was the first time for the hospital to team up with SCCFF.

Kayla Torres, SCCFF's community outreach coordinator, put out 938 pinwheels along the main roads in Thompson Falls and Plains. Plains Woman's Club members Lores Porter and Deb Cleveland helped her put up the pinwheel display at Plains. "Each pinwheel represents a child who has been a survivor of domestic or sexual abuse between January 1, 2000, and March 31, 2023," said Torres, who's been with SCCFF since 2017.

"This is an opportunity for the community to acknowledge how many families the Sanders County Coalition For Families has impacted. Behind every pinwheel is a child from our county, referring to the pinwheels along the roads. Family supportive services from the SCCFF offer preventative efforts that can, and do, reduce violence and abuse against children," she added. Torres and Dr. Gregory Hanson, the hospital president and CEO, were going to be guest speakers at the ceremony before it was canceled.

Simpson said the pinwheels represent the lighthearted nature of children. "Violence against children is definitely wrong, but sometimes people don't realize abuse is wrong until they get help," said Simpson, who hopes the display will inspire people to spend more time with their family and cherish the small moments. She had invited parents to bring their children to plant a pinwheel at the ceremony in hopes it leaves a memory and possibly contributes to future conversations and growth.

SCCFF has been a part of the pinwheel program since 2015. Torres said that SCCFF serves about 40 children a year. The nonprofit organization served 938 children from Jan. 1, 2000 to March 31, 2023 and though it's based in Thompson Falls, it serves the entire county. "Children are our future. I believe it is our responsibility, as parents, as family members, as community members, to pave a safe way for all children. To listen to our children. To be present for our children. To be a safe place for our children," said Torres, who added that there is a problem of child abuse in Sanders County. "In the perfect world, there would be no violence against children, against any family member or partner. However, we do not live in a perfect world," she said.

Torres was pleased to be partnering with the hospital to bring more awareness to child abuse. "I believe with this continued partnership with Clark Fork Valley Hospital, we will bring even more awareness, and hopefully prevention of child abuse. We can all make a difference. We can all make our community a safer place for our children," she said. Hanson noted that the county's future depends on the healthy development of the children that are raised here.

"I believe we all want to see children thrive, growing to be adults with wisdom, a strong work ethic, and a compassion for those around them," Hanson wrote in his speech, adding that there are support systems consisting of friends, social groups, and community based resources that can contribute positively to the child's development. "As one of those resources Clark Fork Valley Hospital joins with the State of Montana to recognize April as Strengthening Families Month. More importantly, let's together support the physical, emotional, social, and educational development of all our children," he said.