West Tennesseans make the 34th annual Circles of Hope Telethon a success

JACKSON, Tenn. — Over 200 volunteers from across West Tennessee came together Sunday at the Carl Perkins Civic Center for the 34th annual Circles of Hope Telethon. A fundraiser benefiting The Exchange Club Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse.

“In rural west Tennessee, there’s not a lot of services available to help children, and so we feel very blessed to be able to provide a service that truly makes a difference in their lives, and the telethon helps make all those services possible,” said Pam Nash, president and CEO of The Exchange Club Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse.

The theme of the telethon was, “You are not alone.”

“What we provide are services to children who have been severely physically abused and sexually abused,” Nash said.

Donations were made by West Tennesseans who called in as well as local organizations, businesses, and families who presented checks to the cause.

“This is one thing in Fayette County that we really have not; there has not been a child advocacy center up until this point. Carl Perkins being in our county will really; it will help serve our kids in our community,” said donor Kelly Arwood from Fayette Academy.

Local musicians kept the telethon alive, showcasing their talents in support.

“My grandma always used to say, to whom much is given, much is expected, and I feel like one of our responsibilities is to give back to our community. To me it feels great,” said performer Dave Thomas of Ben Jessie and the Mechanix.

The donations have been adding up throughout the day, but the volunteers at the Civic Center were only a piece of what made this year’s telethon a success.

“I just want to thank the people of west Tennessee for being such giving folks and for really loving and caring for our kids,” Nash said, “because we couldn’t do what we do without their help.”

The goal for this year’s telethon was to bring in more than last year because, according to president and CEO Pam Nash, the need for their services has continued to grow. This year however, the 34th annual Circles of Hope Telethon brought in a whopping sixty thousand dollars more than last year.

Though telethon phone lines have closed, representatives say, all generous donations are still appreciated. To find out more on the services provided by The Exchange Club Carl Perkins Civic Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse or to make a contribution of your own, go to carlperkinscenter.org