Annual Pinwheel Garden to raise awareness for child abuse victims

CASPER, Wyo. — The Children’s Advocacy Project is hoping to raise awareness of child abuse throughout the community and beyond when it hosts the annual Pinwheel Garden as part of Child Abuse Prevention Month.

The ceremony is scheduled for April 15 at 1 p.m. at the CAP office, 350 N. Ash St.

In total, 262 pinwheels will be planted to commemorate the 262 children who were helped by the Children’s Advocacy Project in 2024. According to CAP executive director Stacy Nelson, that number includes children helped in a 14-county service area.

Sexual abuse cases make up roughly 74% of the cases handled by CAP, and Nelson said the majority of victims are between 7 and 12 years old.

Nelson said the 262 victims helped in 2024 actually marks a decrease from recent years. In 2023, the agency aided over 270 victims. Before that, CAP regularly saw over 300 cases per year. However, Nelson said it’s unclear whether the decrease in cases is a sign of less child abuse occurring, or simply a drop in reporting.

“We just want it to be a reminder that it’s happening,” Nelson said. “It’s happening in our state and nationally, and it’s happening here in Casper, too. We should always be mindful of that and watch out for that.”