Community members, students, and local leaders will gather at 10 a.m. Wednesday on the front steps of the Daviess County Courthouse to mark the start of Child Abuse Prevention Month.
The event will include a public proclamation by Daviess County Family Court Judge Jennifer Hendricks recognizing April 2026 as Child Abuse Prevention Month, followed by a symbolic pinwheel planting around the courthouse grounds.
Students from Owensboro Innovation Middle School will join community leaders and advocates in placing the pinwheels, which are recognized nationally as a symbol of child abuse prevention and represent a vision for children to grow up in safe, healthy, and supportive environments.
“The proclamation and the pinwheel planting is a great way for the community to come together for one purpose — to recognize that child abuse is a real concern and we stand up and fight for the children,” said Maria Shyver, program administrator for Collaboration for Children, the organization hosting the event.
Organizers say the event is designed to raise awareness about the importance of protecting children and strengthening families across the region.
Shyver said Child Abuse Prevention Month highlights the role families, service providers, and community members play in ensuring children are raised in safe, stable environments. Programs like GRADD’s Community Collaboration for Children work year-round to connect families with resources, promote early intervention, and reduce the risk of abuse and neglect.
Suspected abuse or neglect can be reported anonymously by calling the Kentucky Child Protection Hotline at 1-877-597-2331 or contacting local law enforcement.
