Advocacy Network for Children annual fundraiser ‘Tailgate to Celebrate’ set for Oct. 13 at the Ambiance

QUINCY — Advocacy Network for Children will hold its annual fundraising event, “Tailgate to Celebrate,” at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, at the Ambiance, 5225 Koch’s Lane.

This evening offers a live and silent auction, games, raffles and more. Local businesses and volunteers donate their time and merchandise for the event. The dollars raised will help Advocacy Network for Children provide advocacy for abused and neglected children in nine counties in West Central Illinois.

This year’s “Clairice Hetzler Advocacy for Children Award” recipient is Cynthia (Cindy) Trower. The “Advocacy Network for Children Business Award” recipient is Gardner Denver. Both awards will be presented at the dinner.

Reservations are available at $50 per person or a table of eight for $400. Anyone interested in attending can call the Advocacy Network for Children office at 217-223-2272. Reservations can also be made by registering at www.eventbrite.com . Reservations are required in advance of the dinner.

Members of this year’s fundraising committee are:

• Brooke Hunsaker, chair
• Kylee Straube
• Kori Griffin
• Erica Parrish
• Angie St. Clair
• Sue Allen
• Gina Wolf
• Sally Westerhoff
• Lisa Theurer
• Diane Disseler
• Whitney Mintert
• Kearstin Sill
• Amanda Bunch
• agency staff members Diane Pieper and Danielle Buss.

Dinner sponsors are:

• Quincy Recycle
• Mercantile Bank
• Stevenson Paxton Group of Wells Fargo Advisors
• Titan International, Inc.
• Entrup Drywall & Painting, Inc.
• TI Trust, Inc.
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois
• Hansen-Spear Funeral Home
• Gardner Denver
• Blessing Health System
• State Street Bank
• Heartland Bank and Trust Company
• Freiburg Insurance Agency
• Gully Transportation
• Rinella Company
• Thrivent
• Quincy Medical Group
• Schmiedeskamp, Robertson, Neu and Mitchell
• Bopi
• HOMEBANK
• Hilbing Autobody
• Lowell Yates
• Tom and Sally Westerhoff
• 3 Branches Boutique and Spa
• Kohl Wholesale
• Zanger and Associates, Inc. Realtors
• Twaddle Plumbing
• Barney’s Tavern
• Refreshment Services Pepsi
• Tracy Schlepphorst/Emotion Belly Books
• First Bankers Trust Company

Advocacy Network for Children provides two programs for abused and neglected children, the Court Appointed Special Advocate for Children and the Children’s Advocacy Center.

The heart of its mission is to protect and uphold the rights of abused or neglected and to act as a powerful voice in these children’s best interest. Last fiscal year, more than 1,000 children were served by the agency in its two core and distinct programs.

Advocacy Network for Children also provides a prevention program to children pre-K through fifth grade to teach children how to recognize welcome and unwelcome touches and how to say “no.” The program also teaches children who to report unwelcome touches to. The curriculum used, “Happy Bear and P.S. It’s My Body!,” is evidence-based and age appropriate. Presentations were made to more than 2,200 children last fiscal year.

All services provided by Advocacy Network for Children are free of charge. Staff is available 24 hours a days, seven days a week.

For more information about Advocacy Network for Children, visit www.advonet.org.