RACINE — April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. In 2021, there were 222 confirmed cases of child abuse in Racine County.
At 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 2, the Guardians of the Children-Belle City chapter will plant a “Pinwheel Garden” on the Racine County Courthouse lawn. This garden will have 222 pinwheels in it: one for every confirmed case in Racine County last year.
The Pinwheel Project’s purpose is for the Racine community to come out and stand united against child abuse. This awareness event is the start of a monthlong campaign.

Each of the 131 pinwheels in the pinwheel garden on the lawn of the Racine County Courthouse, pictured year in April 2021, represents one confirmed case of child abuse in the county in 2020. This was a 29% decrease from the year prior, but officials suspect cases were underreported due to the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Adam Rogan
In addition to the Pinwheel Project garden, the chapter will be placing blue pinwheel sticker decals on storefront windows of downtown Racine businesses to raise child abuse awareness in the community. The hope is that the pinwheels will capture the attention of the public and make aware the reality of child abuse.
Guardians of the Children is nonprofit motorcycle organization that serves to benefit the communities they live in by educating the public and spreading awareness of the prevalence of child abuse in society.
People are also reading…
In photos: Pinwheel Project 2017
Pinwheel Project

Watertown resident Mike “Trucker” Simonds plants pinwheels to bring awareness to local child abuse Saturday, April 1, 2017, with fellow members of the Guardians of the Children-Belle City at the Racine County courthouse, 730 Wisconsin Ave.
Jonathan Brines
Pinwheel Project

Guardians of the Children-Belle City planted a pinwheel garden Saturday at the Racine County Courthouse grounds, 730 Wisconsin Ave. in Racine to raise awareness for National Child Abuse Prevention Month. The group planted a pinwheel for every case of child abuse or neglect in Racine County for the 390 confirmed cases, according to the nonprofit motorcyle organization.
Jonathan Brines
Pinwheel Project

Guardians of the Children-Belle City planted pinwheels Saturday at the Racine County Courthouse, 730 Wisconsin Ave., to symbolize the 390 cases of child abuse in Racine County. Some wrote names of those affected by the abuse.
Jonathan Brines
Pinwheel Project

Guardians of the Children-Belle City planted pinwheels Saturday at the Racine County Courthouse, 730 Wisconsin Ave., to symbolize the 390 cases of child abuse in Racine County. Some wrote names of those affected by the abuse.
Jonathan Brines
Pinwheel Project

Milwaukee resident Todd Carver from the Guardians of the Children says a prayer after helping the nonprofit group plant pinwheels Saturday at the Racine County Courthouse, 730 Wisconsin Ave., to symbolize the 390 cases of child abuse in Racine County.
Jonathan Brines
Pinwheel Project

Guardians of the Children-Belle City member Derek Kaczmarski, Waukesha resident, plants pinwheels Saturday on the grounds of the Racine County courthouse, 730 Wisconsin Ave., for child abuse awareness.
Jonathan Brines