Arkansas First Lady Susan Hutchinson will speak during Open Arms Shelter’s third annual Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Banquet at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 2 in the cafeteria of the Cabot Freshman Academy.
In 1986, Open Arms Shelter began providing emergency safe housing for children who have been abused or neglected.
It is one of the few emergency shelters in the state that will accept children under the age of 8, teenage mothers with their children and large sibling groups. Most of the children the shelter cares for are from central Arkansas.
Tickets are $25, tables of eight are $200 and sponsorships are available for $500. For more information or to make reservations, call 501-676-6166 or 501-843-9460.
A silent auction will be held from 6 until 7 p.m., and dinner will be served by Cabot’s ROTC at 6:30 p.m.
Singer, songwriter and motivational speaker Sondra Burnett will emcee the event and will sing “The Star Spangled Banner” as Cabot High School’s ROTC presents the colors.
John C. Thompson and an army of volunteers will cook boneless pork loin. Lapel pins will be given to all attendees to be worn throughout April in recognition of National Child Abuse Awareness Month.
Open Arms Shelter will participate in the statewide online campaign Arkansas Gives on April 2.
“You can help Open Arms Shelter compete for additional bonus dollars from a $250,000 match pool by making your donation at ArkansasGives.org on April 2 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.,” according to a news release.
Executive director Nancy Hamlin said, “Open Arms Shelter is licensed by the state of Arkansas and is a nonprofit organization. Your tax-deductible donations ensure that children in need have hope for a better tomorrow.”
Donations may be mailed to Open Arms Shelter, P.O. Box 161, Lonoke, Ark. 72086.
