April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. PCAV spearheads activities and educational endeavors on behalf of Virginia every April to raise awareness about abuse and neglect and to encourage positive parenting. Featured on this page are some of the materials we distribute and initiatives we lead during the month. A list of our sponsors, for whom PCAV is grateful, is also provided.

Celebrating Child Abuse Prevention Month

1. Pinwheels for Prevention
2. Blue Ribbon Campaign
3. 2009 Prevention Packet Materials
4. Prevention Month Sponsors

Prevent Child Abuse Virginia (PCAV) is proud to introduce the pinwheel as a new symbol for child abuse prevention. Every April, PCAV and many of its partner organizations across the state plant pinwheel gardens in recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month. We invite you to visit PCAV's Pinwheels for Prevention display at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Henrico County during the month of April. The display is included with regular admission and features more than 3,000 pinwheels "planted" along a lake in the Children's Garden. Each pinwheel represents a child who has been served by PCAV's Healthy Families Virginia program during the previous year in Central Virginia and Tidewater.

PCAV invites you to purchase pinwheels in April to honor the children in your life. Give them to children, or to child advocates in your community as a gift. Or plant a garden in your front yard, at your church or school, or in front of a business or community building. Pinwheels may be purchased for $2 each by calling (804) 359-6166 ext. 309 or emailing shadams@pcav.org. Group rates are available for bulk orders and nonprofit organizations. All proceeds benefit Prevent Child Abuse Virginia.

If you're interested in planting a pinwheel garden in April 2010, during Child Abuse Prevention Month, please contact us at shadams@pcav.org by mid-October 2009 to pre-order your supply of pinwheels and receive them by early spring.

During April, churches, schools, businesses, individuals and PCAV's partner organizations across the state served as 2009 Pinwheel Partners by distributing pinwheels to their children or other young relatives, to friends or colleagues, and by planting pinwheel gardens.

2009 Pinwheel Partners Included:

• Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, Richmond
• Java Jodi's Café, Goochland
• Capital One's FAST Team, Richmond
• Ft. Eustis - Army Community Services, Ft. Eustis
• Parish Day School, Virginia Beach
• Catholic Diocese of Richmond, Richmond
• Aldersgate United Methodist Church, Virginia Beach
• Franklin Department of Social Services
• Fort Lee

In Virginia, the blue ribbon is a symbol of the need for everyone to be the best they can be when it comes to the wellbeing of children. The blue ribbon campaign is also a memorial to children who have been touched by abuse and neglect. PCAV's blue ribbon campaign sends a positive message, through phrases such as "Be a blue ribbon family." or "Make yours a blue ribbon community."

Tips on displaying blue ribbons:
Blue ribbons are often distributed attached to bookmarks. Some tie ribbons on car antennas or use them as bows for door or window decorations during April. A dark royal blue color ribbon is typically used. For use with bookmarks, a 1/2'' or 5/8'' width cut into 7'' segments works very well.

PCAV's Blue Ribbon Pin:

Blue ribbon pins are now available for purchase for $5 each. Please call (804) 359-6166 ext. 309 to order one today. All proceeds benefit Prevent Child Abuse Virginia.

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You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to work with these documents. You can download the Adobe Acrobat Reader for free from the link above.

1. Building Strong Families/Growing Great Kids
2. Read Me First
3. Survey
4. Fact Sheet
5. Moments in VA
6. Proclamation
7. PSA
8. Sample Media Release
9. Recognizing Child Abuse
10. Pinwheels for Prevention/Make Your Own Pinwheel
11. Discipline Strategies for Every Age
12. Creating fun! On a Budget
13. Bonding with Your Young Child
14. Give "Time In" a Chance
15. Thriving as a Single Parent
16. Brand New Baby Blues
17. Kinship Care - Parenting When You're Not the Biological Parent
18. Relieving Stress Together
19. A Good Start
20. Physical Fitness Matters
21. Handling Defiant Children
22. Appreciating Your 5 to 8 Year Old
23. Raising a Tween
24. Surviving Adolescence
25. Let’s Talk: Communicating with Your Child at Every Stage
26. Decision-Making 101
27. Personal Safety
28. Overscheduled? Create Some Balance
29. Coping With Food Allergies
30. Building Trust
31. Spending Quality Time
32. Being A Good Dad
33. Keep Summer Safe & Fun
34. Keys to a Healthy Relationship
35. Make Kids Count
36. You Can Help Prevent Child Abuse & Neglect

Prevention Packet Materials from prior years are available here.

Spreading the wording about positive parenting in a manner that helps prevent child abuse and neglect requires the support of many. PCAV is grateful for the following individuals, media partners and sponsors for their continuous support.

• Virginia First Lady Anne Holton
• Bryant Stith, 2009 Honorary Chairman, Child Abuse Prevention Month
• Comcast Cable
• WTVR Channel 6
• Keith-Fabry Reprographic Solutions
• Holiday Inn, Staples Mill
• Graphic Presentations

If your company or organization is interested in partnering with PCAV during Child Abuse Prevention Month, please contact Stacy at shadams@pcav.org or (804) 359-6166, ext. 309.

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