Circles of Hope Telethon returns, raises over $1.5 million for child abuse prevention
JACKSON, Tenn. — A local nonprofit held their biggest fundraiser of the year.
The Circles of Hope Telethon returned again to the Hub City. This event is held every year to help raise money for the Exchange Club Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse.
The telethon is celebrating its 40th Anniversary, with the theme for this year is “There Is No Place Like a Safe Home.”
Many businesses and organizations stepped up to donate money to this great organization that helps change the lives of many children.
The mission of the center is to provide support to families in preventing and dealing with child abuse in West Tennessee, and to help both parents and children meet the practical needs of preserving and improving the quality of family life.
“This being our biggest telethon and our biggest event, we really want people to buy, take part, and actually know that they are making a difference in the lives of children,” said Pam Nash, Carl Perkins Center President and CEO.
Chairman of the telethon, Trey Cleek, says this is forty years of bringing music out to support the center and all it does.
In West Tennessee, there are 23 facilities in 20 counties with many clinically trained professionals to work with the children.
“A lot of people do not know that when law enforcement has to take a child into their custody for alleged abuse, the first place that they take them to is our center, so that they can be interviewed
by our staff and they do not have to be interviewed by 15 different people,” Cleek said. “They go through that interview process one time and they don’t have to relieve that trauma.”
The event had lots of great speakers, entertainment, and more. Some of the entertainment included performances by Reverend Jesse and the Holy Smokes, smooth jazz progressions, and other talented musicians.
Nash tells us that they are very blessed for this telethon to be going on forty years strong, and that they are blessed by having volunteers willing to give their time and talents, donors who will reach deep in their pocket to help a child in need, and just knowing that West Tennessee supports the center like it does is just a blessing from God.
Cleek wants to thank all of the staff that works so hard everyday at all of the facilities to help these children.
“Those folks are so hardworking, so compassionate,” Cleek said. “They broke the mold when these people come along that do this kind of work, because they are incredibly special. I just want to say thank you to everybody that works at the center. All of our facilities across West Tennessee.”
The amount raised for this event was $1,579,209.
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