For the first time in 12 years, the Cooper-Anthony Mercy Child Advocacy Center's Annual Hot Springs Rally and Luncheon has been rescheduled due to COVID-19 concerns, adding to the long list of events the pandemic has impacted.
The event, scheduled for April 17, has been postponed to a yet-to-be-determined date.
"Uncertainty about the future state of our public health, as well as complying with the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's) recommendations regarding public gatherings, helped to drive this decision," a CAMCAC release said. "We can still hold this event later in the calendar year. ... We will provide updates regarding the events as soon as they become available. We want to help keep our collective community safe and help to contain the spread of COVID-19."
Holly Heer, the center's development coordinator, said confirmed ticket reservations are not currently being automatically refunded since the center is in the process of rescheduling the event, but anyone with refunding concerns can contact CAMCAC Director Tracey Childress at [email protected], or at 622-2531.
"First lady Susan Hutchinson was our feature speaker and ... we're trying to coordinate with her schedule, but of course she can't give us a date until the governor kind of puts the clear on everything, so we don't really know," Heer said.
The event was intended to be a rally and luncheon highlighting Child Abuse Awareness Month, which starts today, and those who "serve on the front lines" against child abuse, Heer said.
"During that event, we usually also give an award called a Patrick McCruden Superhero Award, and that's usually a volunteer that has gone above and beyond and has really done a lot of work in the community to fight child abuse," she said. "We were going to serve lunch to those who supported the work and individuals who have tried to end child abuse. We usually give tours of the facility, and there is also going to be a fashion show and a children's choir."
According to the release, the center's mission is to "utilize a multidisciplinary team approach to providing a safe, child-friendly and caring place where children are assessed when allegations of child abuse arise."
"This approach includes law enforcement, Department of Human Services, Crimes Against Children Division and the Child Advocacy Center," the release said. CAMCAC has an office in Hot Springs and two satellite offices in Benton and Mena and serves Polk, Montgomery, Garland, Saline, Hot Spring and Grant counties.
The center's offices currently remain open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
"We are in constant communication with local and state officials and following the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control," the release said.
Local on 04/05/2020