Enjoy the Pinwheel Parade on April 11

Robin Burchfield, St. Augustine Youth Services Director of Development, announced to local Historic City News reporters the upcoming activities planned as part of National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Since 1989, people nationwide wear blue ribbon and carry blue pinwheels in April to create awareness of the need to keep kids safe and families strong during National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

The “Pinwheel Parade” March against Child Abuse on April 11th will be held at the St. Augustine Youth Services (SAYS) Hutson Family Campus from 10:00-11:30am.

There will be a ceremonial “parade” around the campus, free children’s activities and information for parents. The St. Johns County Sheriff Office will be providing a helicopter (pending weather conditions), Sheriff Explorers will pass out fingerprint kits to parents and two deputies from the Crisis Negotiation Team will be there with their command center.

The First Tee of St. Johns County and the Flagler College Reach-Out Program are among community groups who will also be at the March.

Immediately following the Pinwheel March, from 11:30am-1:30pm, SAYS will have a Community Garden Day to help clean up and replant the Butterfly Garden and the Sauls Family Vegetable Garden. No experience is necessary. Please bring gloves. This is a great way for students to earn community service hours.

SAYS is celebrating 26 years of serving children and two years in their new campus facility. SAYS is a residential group home which provides therapeutic services for boys, ages 6-17, who have experienced severe emotional trauma, such as child abuse and neglect. For more information, please call 904-829-1770 or visit www.sayskids.org. SAYS is located at 6624 US-1 South next to the Southeast Branch Library, near SR-206.