ONE CHILD at a TIME Spring/Summer 2021 Agency Partner Spotlight: Assistant District Attorney
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Heart Lines Volume 19, Issue 2 HELPING TO CHANGE THE WORLD ONE CHILD AT A TIME Spring/Summer 2021 Agency Partner Spotlight: Assistant District Attorney A professional benchmark of mine was being chosen as the next Child Advocacy Assistant District Attorney in June of 2020– something when I decided to pursue prosecution as a career I always wanted to do. It is humbling to keep the trust of the community in such a position, and one that I strive to earn daily. My passion is to seek justice for children, those innocent victims who have suffered trauma before truly beginning to live. Fighting for these victims and seeing things through to the end, gives me a strong sense of purpose and keeps me motivated. Abuse cases can be some of the most difficult cases to prosecute. To prosecute these effectively requires long hours, thorough investigations, and a multidisciplinary approach through partnerships with others. Partnership is what the Child Advocacy Center is all about. The team of specialists who work at the CAC are highly trained in dealing with children of abuse. Law enforcement, counselors, DHR, social workers, and pediatric specialists work in tandem to conduct joint investigations. We understand that children typically do not disclose information immediately. It takes them time to adjust. Everything is centralized through the center so that victims can meet the entire team at one facility. This allows them to gain trust and to feel safe in their environment. Their comfort is our number one concern. I absolutely love my team at the Child Advocacy Center. Even with the challenging work that we do, we are able to find comfort in helping our victims. We support each other professionally and personally. It shows how much of a joint effort this job can be. Criminal Justice System operations have changed immensely since the COVID-19 shutdown in March 2020. Despite the challenges presented during the pandemic, the Mobile County District Attorney’s Office and the Child Advocacy Center have remained open, diligently working to provide justice for our innocent victims. Even with COVID restrictions, we were able to successfully try and win a case that had been pending since 2018. It was a true honor to get justice for that victim. We are hopeful that in the fall we will have full access to all of the courtrooms so we can try the maximum number of cases each trial week and resume pre-COVID trial schedules. The work done at the Child Advocacy Center saves children’s lives. In some cases, it helps end the cycle of abuse and allows these children and their families to finally heal. I am proud to be a part of this team. I would not be able to do what I do without my right-hand Bonita Westry. She just celebrated her 25th anniversary with the Child Advocacy Center and continues to make sure that we keep cases moving and that we have personal contact with the victims and their families. Thank you, Bonita, for all that you do! Assistant District Attorney Jessica Catlin Child Abuse Awareness Month A news conference was held at the CAC to celebrate April as Child Abuse Awareness Month. An awareness campaign was announced to educate the public on the mission of the Child Advocacy Center. Lamar Outdoor Advertising also helped promote the services which the CAC provides by designing and displaying billboards around the city. Lewis Communications designed the original CAC brochure which is where the artwork Andy Wynne, CAC, Lawrence Batiste, City of for billboards came from. Pinwheels surrounded the grounds around the CAC to symbolize Mobile Public Safety Director, Troy Tatum, Lamar child victims who came to the center for services last year. advertising, CAC Staff 1 By Andy Wynne, Executive Director Summer has begun, the world is beginning to open back up, and slowly our lives are returning to normal. At this time last year I would never have thought that the pandemic would have lasted this long or have such enormous impact. While many things changed some basics did not change. When I talk about the work of the CAC most people state that they could not stand seeing the pain and suffering of the abused children we care for and serve. It truly does take its toll, but thankfully there is balance. That balance is mainly provided by people like you. It is only through the kindness and generosity of people like you that we exist. Over 70% of our funding is provided through private donations. This kindness is not just transformed into services that heal unimaginable and mostly invisible wounds, it is truly a beacon of hope and goodness. Your generosity is a reminder of all that is good and kind and just. It not only provides hope to those who receive our services, it is a sign to those working here that their efforts are valued and appreciated. It means more than most realize. Most research indicates that child abuse rose during the pandemic, but reporting declined. I believe we will not know the true impact for years to come. What I do know is that our numbers remained somewhat steady and have begun rising. We need your help to keep providing care to these children. On behalf of those we serve thank you! You can truly bee a life changer. “Many hands make light work”. Just imagine if everyone who receives this newsletter would send just $8 dollars a month our fundraising goals would be achieved. There are so many other services we could provide (prevention programs, community outreach, enhanced forensic interviewing) if we only had secure funding. To those who give, thank you. To those who have not please think and pray about it. I promise you will receive more than you give. “HUGS” Dunk-A-Cop The Child Advocacy Center hosted the Adams and Reese LLP HUGS (HOPE UNDERSTANDING GIVING SUPPORT) DUNK-A-COP for children who receive services at the CAC and their siblings. The concept that Lifelines Counselors had was to help children who had been abused, learn to become more at ease with the staff investigating their case. This fun day featured Mobile Police, Prichard Police, Mobile County Sheriff’s Officers, and an Assistant District Attorney. Mobile Fire and Rescue helped fill the dunking booth. Children enjoyed popcorn, snow cones, and games. Our friends at Conecuh Sausage donated hot dogs and sausage and their ambassador, David Webb kindly grilled them and provided the buns. Kids learned to laugh with the Law Enforcement Officers housed at the CAC and know that they are friendly and kind and really care. Volunteers from the team at the CAC, Adams and Reese LLP, and the District Attorney’s Office all helped with this event. We thank all who helped to make this event a great success. Lifelines Counselors getting ready for Dunk a Cop Sherry Cates and Sherri Charles of Adams and Reese LLP Andy Wynne, CAC getting PIED “ It’s all good” TO REPORT CHILD ABUSE - CALL 450-7018 2 Cheers to Children Williams Financial Group, LLC is Title Sponsor of Cheers to Children, a benefit for the Child Advocacy Center. Christopher L. George, P.C. and Norton Lilly International are also event sponsors. This year we will have a NON-EVENT. Our world has slowed down since March 2020 but child abuse is on the rise. We ask people to donate the ticket cost of the event $35 and on Monday, July 26 have dinner at home with a glass of wine to help fund free services for abused children. Call 432-1101 for information. You can donate thru www.cacmobile. org , on CAC FaceBook, or mail a check to the CAC. Special Thanks&Appreciation Phillips Preparatory School Phillips Prep School’s Eighth Grade Class presented a check for $ 1,401 to the CAC at their Honors Program on Tuesday, May 25. This year is bittersweet because Ms. Linda Goodson, Phillips Prep School Teacher, who started this program 21 years ago is retiring this year after 41 years of teaching. The gift is part of the Honoring the Communities Project sponsored by the Gulf Coast Center for Holocaust and Human Rights Education. Language Arts teachers Linda Goodson and Nicol Woodbury used their study of Holocaust-related literature to help students discover the importance of speaking out against and working to end injustice. The project honors the memory of the 1.5 million Jewish children and teenagers murdered during the Holocaust. To honor these young victims, the eighth graders chose again to support the CAC. This year’s gift brings the total to over $43,000 that Phillips Prep School eighth graders have raised for the Child Advocacy Center during the past twenty-one years as part of their annual Holocaust Service Project. We appreciate these young people learning to volunteer Elaine Henderson, CAC with Teacher and give back to their community to help children who have been abused. Linda Goodson 3 Special Thanks&Appreciation Serve it up With Love Charity Tennis Tournament Briggs Equipment, Horizon Freight Systems, and Michelob Ultra were Presenting Sponsors of the men and ladies Serve It Up With Love Charity Tennis Tournament. Nibrock and Rich’s Car Wash were Love Sponsors for this year’s event. Ladies day, ladies night, and men played on Tuesday, April 27. The mixed doubles tournament was played on Sunday afternoon April 25. 438 men and women participated.in all 4 events. This year’s event raised over $110,733,000 net proceeds in our Fifteenth anniversary. Ladies enjoyed fresh fruit and individually wrapped bakery items provided by Fresh Market, coffee by Carpe Diem, and gift cards were provided by Wintzell’s Oyster House and Flour Girls Bakery provided cupcakes.