Fourth Annual Stars & Guitars Benefit Concert
Country Music’s Finest Unite to Fundraise nearly $90,000 to Help Child Abuse Victims
Benefiting the Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center
On January 30, 2015, Panama City, Florida was the home of a magical night all about helping local children. Lee Brice, Jerrod Niemann, Frankie Ballard, Mark Chesnutt, and Trick Pony (Heidi Newfield and Keith Burns) sparked the night by lending their time and talent to help thousands of local children affected by child abuse and neglect each year. In the fourth annual Stars & Guitars benefit concert, close to $90,000 was raised for these special victims. The night was spectacular, and those attending appreciated the sincerity of the artists, their stories, jokes, and unique collaborations.
Bobbie Smith and Tim Cobb, store managers of two local Wal-mart Supercenters, were awarded the “Champion for Children” award by the center. Tootsies Orchid Lounge was a centerpiece as the presenting sponsor, and partner WPAPFM/92.5’s morning celebrity, Dr. Shane Collins (and inaugural recipient of the “Champion for Children” award) hosted the nearly three hour concert. Many attendees state the night was the best they have ever seen, and thoroughly enjoyed the superb talent present at this year’s event.
The Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center serves to provide on-site agency collaboration and the use of the multidisciplinary approach in prevention, investigation, assessment, protection, referral for prosecution, and treatment of child abuse and neglect. The CAC provides multidisciplinary team who works together at the front end of each investigation, therefore expediting the referrals for prosecution and service provisions to help strengthen the family and prevent recurrence of abuse. The center offers a safe and secure, child friendly location to help children in their time of need. Advocates, therapists, on site medical personnel, child protective investigators, law enforcement, and forensic interviewers work collaboratively each day to ensure the safety and hope of healing to each of these precious children. In 2014, the Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center provided no cost services to over 1100 local children.