Perry-Jackson County Child Advocacy Center Family Fun Day Saturday
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[The Perry-Jackson Child Advocacy Center provides support services and a coordinated investigation to children birth through age 17 who live in Perry or Jackson County who have been victims of sexual and/or serious physical abuse. The center has received more than a 1,000 referrals since opening in 2002.
The staff of three -- Executive Director Betti Mucha, Advocate Sara Rezba and Secretary Adrianne Brockmeyer see an average of 20 to 30 clients per month. Most clients must make multiple visits while their case is investigated and/or taken to court.
Each child receives a stuffed animal and a blanket when they become a client. The Child Advocacy Center also provides clients with clothing, hygienic products and school supplies, if needed.
"We're currently low on blankets," Mucha said.
Since April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, the center tries to have events throughout the month to bring awareness to such a widespread community issue that effects our most vulnerable population.
The 10th Annual Family Fun Day is scheduled for Saturday, April 21, 2012 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Du Quoin Youth Club. This event is intended to promote Child Abuse Prevention Month and positive family relationships. The Perry County Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Committee has been hosting this event since 2002, and the community has always been supportive. There will be free food, drinks, door prizes, entertainment, and activities for all ages. All families are invited to come and join the fun.
The center will hold their first Golf Scramble on Friday, April 27, 2012 at Red Hawk Golf Course in Pinckneyville. This will be a nine-hole, four person scramble that will include a meal. Registration begins at 4 p.m. and tee-off is at 5 p.m. Registration is $30 per person, and there are several sponsorships available. Please call Betti at 618-357-2990 for more information or to register.
The State of Illinois provides 90 percent of the center's funding. However, due to budget cuts, funding has decreased each year by a small margin. The cumulative cuts have reached a level where fund-raising is necessary.
"We do our best throughout the year to bring awareness to the community that child abuse does in fact exist here in our small rural community. April is our month to go that extra mile and try to provide as much awareness and attention to the cause as possible. All of us here at the Perry-Jackson Child Advocacy Center work with this issue on a daily basis, but for the most part the community is still not aware of what we do or who we serve." says Mucha.
The final event is part of a state-wide Champions for Children walk. The rest of the state will walk on May 12. Because Mucha has to attend a graduation that day, the Perry-Jackson Champions for Children walk will be held May 5 at the SIU-Carbondale campus lake.