The County Press

‘Makes people open their eyes’

Blue pinwheels represent every child killed last year by violence

It only took the dozen or so volunteers from Justice For Lily a few hours to plant 1,825 pinwheels. Photos by Nicholas Pugliese

It only took the dozen or so volunteers from Justice For Lily a few hours to plant 1,825 pinwheels. Photos by Nicholas Pugliese

LAPEER — As April brings spring to Michigan, it also brings awareness.

April is Child Abuse Awareness Month, and to kick off a month devoted to eradicating violence toward children in Lapeer County and beyond, nonprofit organization Justice For Lily volunteers planted 1,825 pinwheels on the lawn of Marguerite deAngeli Library — one for each child killed last year by abuse in the United States.

In their third year planting the pinwheels, volunteers went through 15 boxes of the blue pinwheels to bring awareness to the cause, using the library’s central location to maximize their message’s effectiveness. “We’re so thankful that the library lets us use this their property,” said Lauren Furneaux-Bass, founder of Justice For Lily.

The pinwheels adjacent to the busiest intersection in Lapeer County will serve as a reminder that child abuse is a serious issue both at home and throughout the country, said Furneaux- Bass. “People say that the pinwheels are fun, or beautiful,” she said. “Each one represents a child that won’t be able to have fun — it’s beautifully tragic.”

Justice For Lily Founder Lauren Furneaux- Bass (right) gets a little help from volunteer Kalaya Bentz in planting one of the nearly 2,000 pinwheels.

Justice For Lily Founder Lauren Furneaux- Bass (right) gets a little help from volunteer Kalaya Bentz in planting one of the nearly 2,000 pinwheels.

Despite the snow on the ground, volunteers have developed useful techniques in their three years planting the pinwheels that streamline the process. “It’s too cold, but we have to do it,” said Furneaux-Bass. “It makes people open their eyes.”

— Nicholas Pugliese