OCEAN CITY – April is Child Abuse Awareness Month as the CRICKET Center is gearing up for its second annual Walk to Help the Fight Against Child Abuse.
The Children’s Resource Intervention Center, Kids Empowerment Team (CRICKET) Center is a 501c3 non-profit organization modeled after the National Child Advocacy Center and is one out of two accredited center’s by the National Children’s Alliance on the Eastern Shore.
The mission of the CRICKET Center is to provide a comprehensive, culturally competent, multidisciplinary team approach to the investigation, prosecution and treatment of child physical and sexual abuse in a child-friendly environment.
Walking into the CRICKET Center children are provided the opportunity to make their own handprint tile.
“It is a good way for kids to have a good memory before they leave, but more importantly when they come down the hall they see they aren’t the first child to come here,” CRICKET Center Executive Director Wendy Myers said. “Children are not able to help themselves. We have to advocate for them. There are many studies that illustrate children who are abused will not result in a positive outcome because of that, meaning just not prosecution but therapy, and other issues that happen later on in life, such as higher risks of teen pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, suicide, and jail time. If we take care of our kids, then they will be happier adults.”
Myers explained the CRICKET Center is the Child Advocacy Center for Worcester County.
“We investigate and prosecute all cases of child abuse in the county. We are the only Child Advocacy Center in the county. We are the only ones that do what we do, and we are the only ones that partner with the agencies who provide our services,” she said.
The CRICKET Center partners to investigate and prosecute child abuse in Worcester County with Atlantic General Hospital, Life Crisis, Inc., local law enforcement agencies, the Board of Education, Department of Social Services and the State’s Attorney Office.
The collaborative team response enhances the investigative process, facilitates the prosecution of those who commit these crimes in Worcester County, minimizes the trauma of abuse for the child victim and the non-offending family members, prevents further victimization and promotes emotional healing for the child victim and family.
The CRICKET Center provides a 24-hour response, on-site forensic medical exams by a SAFE (Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner) nurse, on-site therapist, on-site forensic interviewers, on-site family advocate, community education on child abuse, comprehensive assessment and investigation of child neglect, physical, sexual, and mental abuse, and the prosecution of offenders when warranted by the evidence. All services are provided free of charge to families.
“We opened our doors here in 2009 but prior to that we worked out of two rooms next door to the Atlantic Health Center, so we would get a call and then the team would converge,” Myers explained of the previous operation. “The way it used to be and the way it is in a lot of places still is the child will have to talk to Child Protective Services worker probably at school and go back to class, then go sit in the emergency room and wait, and perhaps then go sit at the States Attorney Office in a waiting room with a big desk and a stranger, and then often times kids are taken to the police department to provide a statement to a police officer.”
In Fiscal Year 2014, the CRICKET Center handled 98 cases of child sexual abuse, 460 hours of trauma therapy, 37 sex offenders were identified, 13 individuals were arrested for producing/distributing child pornography and 149 years of sentenced jail time for child sex offenders were given.
Being a non-profit organization and charging no fees for their services, the CRICKET Center relies on donations and grants.
To help raise funds, the organization is planning the second annual Walk for Kids to Help the Fight Against Child Abuse on Sunday, April 26.
“Hooters sponsors the walk, and they provide everything. They are extraordinarily generous to us and a great partner to have,” Myers said. “We raised over $5,000 last year, so this year we are hoping to exceed that. We are half way to our goal already.”
Registration begins at 11 a.m. at Hooters on the Boardwalk. The walk begins at noon. The registration fee is $25. Entrants will receive a commemorative token and are invited to attend a reception at Hooters on the Boardwalk from 1-3 p.m. including assortment of food/soft drinks, happy hour prices for alcoholic beverages and raffles.
Entrants raising more than $75 will receive a commemorative token and an event T-shirt. Prizes will be awarded to top fundraisers.
Prizes for registered groups will be awarded based on the total amount raised by the group and awarded in the group with the most funds raised and turned in before/on day of the walk.
For a youth group, including sport groups, classes, scouts, religious, etc., a pizza party will be awarded to include pizza, soda and cookies.
For an adult group, a bushel of medium sized crabs, paper products and soda will be awarded.
A young individual in first place will receive two passes to Jolly Roger, four passes to Old Pro Golf and a $20 McDonalds gift card.
An adult in first place will receive a wine basket with an assortment of goodies and a gift certificate to BJ’s on the Water.
Register by mail or online at www.thecricketcenter.com. For more information contact Myers at 410-641-0097 or [email protected].
The next upcoming event is the 2015 Pig & Jig BBQ Festival located at Snow Hill Auto Body on Route 113 on Friday, May 29, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday, May 30, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The event includes professional and amateur BBQ competitions, food and craft vendors, amusements, live music from some of the best bands around, and much more.
This year the event is partnering with the CRICKET Center, which is assisting in the planning and execution of the event and in return will receive 50 percent of the proceeds with the other 50 percent going to local schools.
For more information visit www.pigandajog.org
The CRICKET Center’s annual event at Seacrets, “Jamaican a Difference ‘Mon”, will be held Oct. 16 this year with silent auction and raffles, hors d’oeuvres and an open bar. Live entertainment will be provided by the band When Worlds Collide. All proceeds benefit the CRICKET Center.
“We have had great success with that event. It is our largest fundraising event every year. It is so nice to relax … it is just a really fun night,” Myers said.