CASA of Chautauqua County staff and board members are pictured by planted pinwheels during the 2024 pinwheel planting ceremony in Mayville. From left are Kathy Park, executive director of CASA of Chautauqua; Bob Rogers, CASA board member; and Kelly Fiorella, fund development coordinator of CASA of Chautauqua.

Throughout the month of April, CASA of Chautauqua is asking area residents to help the program serve more of Chautauqua County’s most vulnerable children.

The public is invited to join the Pinwheels for Prevention campaign, a national awareness campaign created by Prevent Child Abuse America urging people to act to prevent childhood abuse and neglect by transforming awareness into action. CASA staff, volunteers and board members as well as other community partners will hold a pinwheel planting ceremony at 3:30 p.m. Monday, April 7, at the Chautauqua Municipal Building front lawn, 2 Academy St., Mayville. Attendees will learn about how child abuse and neglect affect communities and what can be done to support children and families through the crisis.

The Pinwheels for Prevention campaign is available at area financial institutions, convenience stores, markets, restaurants, gas stations, liquor stores and libraries. Visit any participating business to purchase a pinwheel for $2 or a pinwheel card for $1. For a complete list of business participants visit ChautauquaCASA.com.

At any given time, there are nearly 90 children in foster care in Chautauqua County. Children come into the child welfare system through no fault of their own. Substance abuse and the socioeconomic environment is changing the demographic of children coming into care and placing a burden across the United States including Chautauqua County.

Trends have shown that more foster youth are aging out of the foster care system without finding safe and permanent homes and the skills needed to succeed. The demands for advocacy for these children increase in an overburdened and complex child welfare system.

“CASA volunteers are a constant for the child in a time of chaos,” said Kathy Park, executive director of CASA of Chautauqua County. “A child may have multiple social workers, attorneys, therapists and foster placements throughout the life of the case but only one CASA volunteer, which can make all the difference for the child’s future.”

All money raised from CASA’s Pinwheels for Prevention Campaign are used to fulfill CASA’s mission of supporting volunteers who advocate for abused and neglected children in Chautauqua County. If you would like to support the mission of CASA, a tax-deductible donation can be made by sending a check to CASA of Chautauqua Co., Inc. at 2 Academy Street, Suite 5, Mayville, NY 14757.