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WTCAC honors its team players |
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Written by Kimberly Gray
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Friday, 03 April 2009 |
The West Texas Children's Advocacy Center hosted its fourth annual Child Abuse Awareness Banquet where they honored donors and volunteers who have made their work possible over the year. It was also a night to honor all of those that make up the team effort to help children who are abused.
The program began with a slide show depicting the many facets of the advocacy center and the other entities in the community who work with the center. The WTCAC serves Nolan, Mitchell, Scurry, Fisher and Borden Counties.
Then police officer Lance Richburg performed a song he wrote in response to being part of a horrific local case involving a man who killed his wife and two young daughters before committing suicide, called “Jesus Walked Down Bowie Street.”
“The worst thing we have to deal with is a case of child abuse,” he stated on behalf of law enforcement. “The child advocacy center takes a huge load off of us.”
WTCAC executive director Anita Davis said they “couldn't do it without the community effort.” She introduced several people, representing the entities that work with the WTCAC, who also spoke during the program.
District Attorney Anne Reed spoke of how the advocacy center makes her job of prosecuting a child abuse case “so much easier.” She added, “I can't think of a better thing to support.”
Kerrie Blair with Child Protective Services said she found out quickly the difference the advocacy center made for children involved in abuse cases. “The kids could see there were people there with smiles for them,” she said. “With your contributions and support, you can also make a positive impact on a child,” she said to the audience.
Scurry County Sheriff Darren Jackson said the people of WTCAC were his heroes. “For years law enforcement has been ready to deal with child abuse,” he said. “But we were not prepared to interview these little children.” He spoke of the fear he would see in an officer's eyes who was faced with the task of interviewing a five-year-old child who was allegedly abused and ask them the “most personal questions.”
“We did it, but the WTCAC was like Christmas to law enforcement” when they took that part over for law enforcement, Jackson continued.
Kelly Sheridan, who worked with the WTCAC as a forensic interviewer and now works for ECI, said their goal was always to “reduce trauma” for the child. She also pointed out that the center is there to prove when someone accused of abuse is innocent.
Glynis Gotcher, an RN at Rolling Plains Memorial Hospital and the hospital's trauma coordinator, spoke of the medical field's part in dealing with child abuse. She said they have had children brought into the ER who were abused. She noted that they are required by law to report a suspicious case.
Leann Hicks, a local counselor, announced that there is now a counseling team in place locally to assist the advocacy center. The team of counselors includes those who have a private practice and school counselors. The center no longer has to wait for a trained counselor to come from Abilene.
“We are here and we are ready to be part of the WTCAC team,” Hicks added.
Teri Gonzales, who now works as a counseling intern, also had experience working as a family advocate for the advocacy center, and she spoke of the good the center does and complimented forensic interviewer, Peggy Parrot, for her work and for mentoring her and others.
Shari Jamison with High Sky Children's Ranch talked about how they are sometimes faced with child abuse in dealing with truancy. They have offices in the WTCAC building, as well as in Snyder. They deal with issues like family conflict and run-aways.
Paula Robison, the president of Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA), was the last speaker. Davis commented that the group helped the center a lot. Robison described her group as a volunteer organization made up of every-day people that ride motorcycles who empower abused children to stand up and say “no more.” “We are dedicated to protect their basic right to safety,” Robison said.
She closed with the reading of their creed.
Davis concluded that she was “truly amazed” how everyone works together for the benefit of children in the community.
At the close of the program, Jim McKenzie presented the WTCAC with a check on behalf of the Sweetwater Masonic Lodge, who hosted a benefit dinner for the center last week.
Plaques were also presented to donors and volunteers. |
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 05 April 2009 )
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