Ellington

As summer fun begins, two fundraising events will help kick off the season and benefit the Children’s Advocacy Center of the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit May 14 and 15.

In the spirit of Las Vegas, a Casino Night fundraiser will take place May 14 at Willow Tree Farm followed by Rally in the Valley led by the Blue Knights Georgia IX May 15.

“The CAC-LMJC is a child- friendly home that assists the centralized activities of all agencies involved in the intervention and prevention of child abuse,” said board member Shay Love. “We offer support for the physical and emotional safety of children and their non-offending caretakers, while facilitating joint investigations conducted by specially trained professionals.”

Serving Catoosa, Dade, Chattooga and Walker counties, the CAC-LMJC is a nonprofit organization that relies on fundraising events, donations and grant funding to remain intact. People attending events like the upcoming Casino Night and Rally in the Valley are vital according to Love.

“The CAC could be the beginning of a new life for a child,” she said. “If abuse is detected, this child will get the help that he or she needs.”

Love stresses that the function of CAC-LMJC is to provide a non-threatening safe haven for investigations of alleged abuse, and, if required or requested, provide the victim and non-offending family members an outlet for counseling and follow-up services to assist in the recovery process.

Funds gained from Casino Night and Rally in the Valley will help keep the doors of the CAC-LMJC open and allow for continued training and development for the staff to keep helping with intervention and prevention of child abuse.

Anyone 21 and over is welcome to attend Casino Night and tickets are $25 per person; they can be purchased at the door or money and a reservation request can be mailed to Children's Advocacy Center at P.O. Box 5615 Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742.

For Rally in the Valley, riders can register at Casino Night or sign up at the event the next morning. A single rider ticket is $25 and double riders are $35. The ride begins at The Shops of Remco located beside the Cracker Barrel in Ringgold with registration at 8 a.m. and the ride leaving at 10 a.m.

“This is a 100-mile escorted ride that the Blue Knights Georgia IX hosts yearly to benefit the CAC,” Love said.

For more information about Casino Night or Rally in the Valley, contact Shay Love at (706) 965-2378. To learn more about CAC-LMJC, contact director Ione Sells at (706) 866-8811 or forensic interviewer Holly Kittle at (706) 866-8811.