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Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre gearing up for fundraising push

Jan 21, 2019 | 10:25 AM

Planning is largely completed for the new Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre (CACAC) on the campus of RDC. 

That according to Mark Jones, Executive Director for the CACAC, says they hope to start construction this summer and are now preparing for a major fundraising push in the coming weeks.

“We have our bank account and what we have from our previous fundraisers, as well as our continued push on the dream home to get the base or a starting area,” he explains. “But it’s still our hope with the community support that we would start our permanent build, hopefully right around July 1 and to be in that building within the next 12-15 months after that.”

After the launch of the inaugural Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre Dream Home Lottery on November 30, Jones says they’re still working at creating the awareness around it.

“You’re a new business, so people are just learning who you are,” he says. “So it’s trying to get the recognition and people know what we do and who we are. We rely on all our supporters to bring their people in to be supporters.”

However, Jones says they’re confident the new lottery will be successful.

“To be honest, it’s a push where we need the support of central Alberta as much as possible to support our cause. II know we have a ways to go but our hope is everybody in central Alberta will look at the cause like they look at all the causes. We’ve priced our tickets affordably and we just hope to continue to have the people of central Alberta support us.”

Elsewhere, Red Deer city council has shown its support for the organization by approving the hiring of an RCMP officer to handle child abuse cases at the CACAC.

Jones says they’re very excited about the news.

“It’s two-fold. K-Division out of Edmonton has a posting for a fourth full-time position as soon as they name a suitable candidate. Secondly, we’re just excited the City and RCMP who have been with us from the very beginning, supporting us through everything we’ve done, recognize the work we’re doing warrants at least one full-time constable which is great.”

Jones says the impact from these additional resources will be significant.

“To have those two officers in the building on a full-time basis is going to allow them to be on the front line working with Children’s Services, working with Alberta Health Services, working with schools to make things happen rapidly,” says Jones. “I just think it’s going to take us from a place we’re at right now and just rocket us to being able to do even more.”

Jones adds it’s important to acknowledge it takes bravery and courage for a child or family to come forward in cases of child abuse.

“It also takes bravery and courage for those people working on the front line and it takes bravery and courage for us to get through the whole process. So with that bravery and courage, it leads to promise and possibility, so we just ask everybody to support us if you don’t know who we are.”

For more information on the Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre and its inaugural Dream Home Lottery, visit centralalbertacac.ca.