The Children's Advocacy Center of Benton County will hold its annual "Cherishing Children" dinner and awards presentation Sept. 8 at the Rogers Convention Center. The evening will feature keynote speaker Christina Meredith, former Miss California, abuse and homelessness survivor, youth advocate and author of "CinderGirl." John Laney, Walmart senior vice president and general merchandise manager, is serving as chairman of the fundraiser.
"Christina endured years of abuse, was in and out of the foster care system, and eventually aged out of the system at 18. She is now an intelligence officer with the Texas National Guard, a former Miss California pageant winner, a published author of a bestselling memoir and a national speaker," according to a news release.
"My entire story is about hope, faith, hard work, achieving the dream and the purpose that you have been given in this life, and not allowing things to deter you, because circumstances change. With hard work [and] a little faith, you can make them change," Meredith says.
The nonprofit organization in Little Flock works with local law enforcement agencies and other investigators in cases of alleged child abuse. Services at the center include forensic interviews to give children an opportunity to talk with trained interviewers and minimize the number of times they have to talk about the abuse. The center also has child advocates, provides medical examinations, and counseling is available for child abuse victims and their non-offending family members.
Tickets are $75. Tables for 10 are available for $1,500.
Information: (479) 621-0385; Melanie Halbrook, [email protected]; or cacbentonco.org.
-- CARIN SCHOPPMEYER