'Children have a fundamental right to have a childhood'
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ROSEBURG, Ore. -- A Douglas County group added some color to downtown Roseburg, to shed light on child abuse.
Dozens of colorful pinwheels now dot the lawn of the Douglas County courthouse.
The Women Working Wonders members placed the whimsical decorations on the lawn Monday to raise awareness on child abuse issues.
The group is made up of people who support CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advocates.
CASA members work with children who've been abused or neglected.
April is child abuse awareness month, and organizers say they wanted to promote ways that people can help combat abuse. "At CASA, we deal with the ramifications of child abuse every day," said event organizer Mindy Desrochers. "It's shocking, and our numbers are going up, and we want our numbers to go down."
Desrochers says the pinwheels are a lighthearted way to bring attention to the fight against child abuse. "It's a very upbeat message," she said. "The pinwheel is a symbol of childhood, what childhood should be. And we want to celebrate that."
On the back of the decorations are cards that detail ways community members can help.
Mindy says she just wants to make sure that kids get the chance to be kids. "I've seen what child abuse does to children: It takes away their childhood. And that's not what we want. Children have a fundamental right to have a childhood."
The pinwheels will stay up for the rest of the month.
