"One of my favorite Murfreesboro Christmas traditions is the Child Advocacy Center Holiday Open House," said District Attorney General Jennings Jones.

"Every year it is held on the first Friday in December, it is open to the public, and the food is incredible. I enjoy spending time with the DCS case managers, law enforcement detectives, and prosecutors that serve on the Child Protective Investigative Team and the Child Advocacy Center's many supporters. Some of the best people in Rutherford and Cannon Counties work child abuse cases."

The 20th annual Holiday Open House will be held from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6 at the Center located at 1040 Samsonite Blvd. in Murfreesboro. The Board of Directors, staff, and volunteers cordially invite the community to join them for the luncheon buffet.

"The Child Protective Investigative Team members are the honorary guests at the event," CAC Director Sharon De Boer said. "The Child Protective Investigative Team works together to investigate and aggressively prosecute child abuse cases and help children and their families heal from the trauma. In the last 20 years, the Team has assisted over 23,000 children and their family members."

The agencies included in the Child Protective Investigative Team are the Rutherford County Department of Children's Services, Murfreesboro Police Department, Smyrna Police Department, La Vergne Police Department, Rutherford County Sheriff's Office, the District Attorney's Office for the 16th Judicial District, Rutherford County Juvenile Court Youth Services, Our Kids Center, the Guidance Center, and the Child Advocacy Center.

"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. We will have three rooms of food – appetizers, entrées, dessert, and everyone's favorite—the chocolate room. There are guests who walk past the first three rooms of food and head straight to the chocolate room. No one says a word to them, because it is Christmas!" concluded De Boer.

The buffet luncheon is provided courtesy of the Board of Directors, Five Senses, Papa Murphy's on Old Fort Parkway, Phi Delta Delta Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, staff, and volunteers. The Child Advocacy Center staff encourages you to bring your appetite!

For more information on the Holiday Open House, contact the Child Advocacy Center at 615-867-9000.