Michelle Knight will be the featured speaker at the Cherishing Children dinner and awards presentation Sept. 17 to benefit the Children's Advocacy Center of Benton County.
Knight was the first of three women kidnapped by an Ohio school bus driver in 2002 and held hostage for 10 years before escaping. She is the author of "Finding Me: A Decade of Darkness, a Life Reclaimed: A Memoir of the Cleveland Kidnappings."
Cherishing Children Dinner and Awards
What: Guest speaker Michelle Knight, dinner, advocacy and volunteer awards
When: 7 p.m., Sept. 17
Where: John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers
Tickets: $50 or $450 for a table for 10
Attire: Business casual
Information: (479) 621-0385 or cacbentonco.com
The advocacy center coordinates child abuse cases investigation, prosecution and treatment services with law enforcement, child protective services, victim service providers, prosecutors, medical personnel, mental health professionals and volunteers. The coordination of services reduces the times a child must discuss the abuse as well as medical examinations.
The center opened 729 cases in 2014 and is on track to surpass that in 2015, said Jolana Aibangbee, development director.
At the dinner, the group will recognize members of the community "for their work in empowering children to find their voice and eliminating child abuse" with the Cherishing Children Awards. The 2015 recipients are:
Walmart ISD -- Empowering Kids Award for Outstanding Community Partner;
Jo and Don Soderquist -- Advocate for Innocence Award for Outstanding Community Partner;
Daniel Weeden -- The Beverly R. Engle Pioneer Award for leader in the field of child abuse and
Vickie Price -- One with Courage Award for Outstanding Volunteer.
Honorary event chairmen for the fundraiser are Shelley and Doug McMillon, Walmart president and chief executive officer.
-- CARIN SCHOPPMEYER
cschoppmeyer@nwadg.com
NAN Our Town on 09/03/2015