How can you help ? We are asking people to attend the event to cheer on team members on as they raise money for a worthwhile cause. Tax-deductible donations are also welcomed.

Why should you consider supporting Child Protect? A few highlights of what the agency has accomplished in the past year include:

• Child Protect conducts forensic interviews on children in out-of-home perpetrator cases through referrals by the law enforcement community and the WV DHHR. In 2003, the director of Child Protect (a trained forensic interviewer) conducted 51 forensic interviews on children who were alleged victims of sexual abuse or assault and offered guidance to non-offending family members in those cases.

• During that same time frame, information was provided to over 200 callers inquiring about some aspect of child protection.

• Forensic medical exams were coordinated for approximately 30 children who were alleged victims of abuse.

• An informative web site [www.mercerchildprotect.org] was compiled that was designed to assist victims of child abuse and non-offending family members, as well as the general public, in understanding the system designed to protect children from abuse.

• We recently received a grant that will enable us to distribute books to all children who are referred to the center. With these books, we will encourage family literacy sessions that will serve as an activity to strengthen family dynamics (to offset the trauma a family is faced with after learning of an allegation of abuse).

• As of July 1, 2004, we were able to provide free counseling services (via a contract with a mental health professional) to children and non-offending family members due to receipt of Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding.

• Child Protect has recently initiated dialog with the Mercer County School Board to offer Mandated Reporter Trainings for teachers and School-based Good Touch/Bad Touch programs for students in K-6th grades.

• We recently compiled two booklets to distribute to children (general information on child abuse) and parents (helping them cope with sexual abuse when it happens to their child) to offer guidance and support to members of our community.

• We receive no direct source of funding and do not charge fees for any of the services we provide. The Challenge Cup is our annual fund-raising event to pay for the services provided to abused children.

If you have any questions please call the Child Advocacy Center at 425-2710.

Your support of this event is truly appreciated!