PARSONS — Each year in April, our community turns its focus to child abuse awareness and prevention right here at home.

The Randolph-Tucker Children’s Advocacy Center will host the annual Champions for Children event Friday, April 17 at the Parsons Volunteer Fire Department in Parsons.

The social hour will begin with appetizers at 5:45 pm, with a full dinner prepared by the men and women of St. Patrick’s Church of Coalton, longtime supporters and dedicated volunteers for the CAC.

Attendees will enjoy live music by Born Old during dinner. Born Old is Paul Gartner (banjo, guitar and vocals) and Doug Van Gundy (fiddle, guitar, mandolin and vocals).

After dinner, an awards ceremony will honor individuals and organizations in three award categories: Professional, Community Partners, and Samaritans. Officials will complete the evening with a live auction of arts, crafts and gift packages.

The Randolph-Tucker CAC is part of a national movement which revolutionized the United States’ response to child sexual abuse. Children’s Advocacy Centers across the country provide a child-friendly setting where children can talk about their experiences.

CACs use a team approach to respond to child abuse, working together with professionals in law enforcement, child protection, mental health, and healthcare to coordinate investigations and ongoing support, treatment, and advocacy at no cost to families.

The map of CACs shows 976 Children’s Advocacy Centers now operating nationally. There are 21 Child Advocacy Centers in West Virginia serving 48 counties. Randolph and Tucker counties were added to that map in 2003 and our community was one of the first in West Virginia to establish a Children’s Advocacy Center.

The Champions for Children event is an opportunity to come together to celebrate the contributions of professionals, volunteers, individuals, and organizations in our community who have helped support the CAC and its partners to serve our most vulnerable citizens, the children in Randolph and Tucker counties.

For more information, please visit www.rtcac.org.