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NEW CAC HEADQUARTERS. A ribbon cutting was held recently to officially open the new headquarters for the Children’s Advocacy Center of Cherokee County located at 411 North River Street in Centre. On hand for the ceremony, from left, were Congressman Mike Rogers, Centre City Councilman Harry Moon, Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce Representative Mark Gossett, Senator Larry Means, Rep. Richard Lindsey, Centre City Council Member Sid Garrett, CAC Executive Director Lori Lumsden, former Centre City Council Member Rita Stover, Centre Mayor Tony Wilkie, Centre City Council Members Joe Hall and Bess Yarbrough, former Centre Mayor Phil Powell, former Centre City Council Member Tom Wade Hampton and Chamber of Commerce Representative John Boggs.
The joint ceremony included a ribbon cutting and signing of a proclamation recognizing April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. A good crowd of local dignitaries and community leaders attended and also toured the new facility.
Initially, the Advocacy Center went through the City of Centre to apply for grant to purchase of a new building and the CACCC Board of Directors agreed to purchase the current building, which is the former home of the late Martha Jo Jordan. The city has worked over the past few years renovating and preparing the structure for occupancy by CCCAC.
“We all can take great pride in what has been accomplished here and what you have probably been through to see,” said Cherokee County District Attorney Mike O’Dell. “For those of us who have worked together at the CAC, through our child abuse review team, I can’t tell you how grateful we are. I see our DHR personnel smiling and for all of the folks that are going to be introduced here in a little while I just wanted to let you know we appreciate the entire community.”
“Thank you so much for coming,” said Lori Lumsden, executive director, Children’s Advocacy Center of Cherokee County. “I know that a lot of you are particularly interested in our most recent progress, to be in the building, but this is our 10-year anniversary of providing services for child abuse victims and many of you have supported us, whether it be financially or through your time, serving on our board, or you have just put in volunteer hours or maybe you spoke with someone about how important this is to you and we want to thank you for this community support.”
On behalf of The Children’s Trust Fund of Alabama, Milton Jackson and Greg Smith presented the CAC a check for $40,000.
“Many of you know that each year we apply for competitive funding to support our programs,” said Lumsden.
“One of our competitive funding sources is the Children’s Trust Fund of Alabama. They have been funding us since our beginning. That funding makes it possible for us to have our school-based program and our parenting program. Rep. Richard Lindsey and Sen. Larry Means are very instrumental in securing that funding for this particular agency.”
The Coosa Valley Rural Conservation and Development Council presented a check for $30,000 to the city of Centre to assist with funding for the building.
“I would like to say first of all, everybody has worked hard on the project,” said Centre Mayor Tony Wilkie.
“During the project we were well over budget. When that happened, what could we do next? We needed somebody to come in and help pull us through.
“Phone calls were made and these gentlemen (Senator Means, Representative Lindsey) were there. Folks, we are very, very lucky, blessed to have these two representing us and this is part of what they are doing for everybody in our area. They came through.”
“There are a lot of things we have to do that aren’t very pleasant,” noted Means. “But this is a very pleasant thing to do. Thank you for allowing me to serve you in the Senate.”
“In 1998-1999, we needed a building for our Advocacy Center in Cherokee County,” said Lindsey. “At that particular time, I was on the ways and means general fund committee. Now I am on education, but we had an opportunity at that time to add some money to the general fund budget.
“It has been a great blessing since that time to see it grow and develop and all the support we have here in Cherokee County. We are among citizens and among all the governmental agencies here in the county who have all come together to make it a great success and I just want to say thank you and congratulations to all of Cherokee County for this successful advocacy center serving the state of Alabama.”
Mayor Wilkie asked Former Mayor Phil Powell and all current and former council members who have served since the Advocacy Center project began to join in cutting the ribbon.
“This project started, we finally got it to completion and we are where we are today,” said Wilkie. “I think everybody will agree, when they see what we have here, we are truly blessed with this facility we have in our area.”
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