"The Child Advocacy Center Holiday Open House is a wonderful Christmas tradition held each year on the first Friday in December," said director Sharon DeBoer. "We are grateful this Christmas season for all of our loyal supporters and this is our way of showing them how much they are appreciated."
The 19th annual Holiday Open House will be held 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7 from at 1040 Samsonite Blvd., Murfreesboro. The Board of Directors, staff, and volunteers are inviting their supporters to join them for the buffet luncheon.
"The Child Protective Investigative Team members are the honorary guests at the event," announced Forensic Interviewer Amanda Pruitt. "Some of the best people in Murfreesboro serve on the Child Protective Investigative Team. They work together to investigate and prosecute child abuse cases and help children and their families heal from the trauma. In the last 19 years, the Team has assisted over 20,000 children and their family members."
The agencies included in the Child Protective Investigative Team are the Rutherford County Department of Children’s Services, the District Attorney’s Office for the 16th Judicial District, Murfreesboro Police Department, Smyrna Police Department, La Vergne Police Department, Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, Rutherford County Juvenile Court Youth Services, Our Kids Center, the Guidance Center, and the Child Advocacy Center.
"There are four rooms of food – appetizers, entrées, dessert, and everyone’s favorite—the chocolate room," said Child Advocacy Center Accountant Jessica Wauchek. "There are guests who walk bypass the first three rooms and head straight to the chocolate room. No one says a word to them, because it is Christmas!"
The buffet luncheon is provided courtesy of the Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, and local restaurants. The generous local restaurants providing food include Cheddars, O’Charley’s, and Slick Pig Bar-B-Q.
For more information on the Holiday Open House, contact the Child Advocacy Centers in Rutherford County at (615) 867-9000 and in Cannon County at 615-563-9915.