The 40th annual Circles of Hope telethon, hosted by the Exchange Club Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse, will be held August 13 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Carl Perkins Civic Center.
It costs approximately $450,000 a month for the center to operate across 20 West Tennessee counties, making events like the telethon pivotal for the continuation of the organization.
The theme of the telethon is ‘There’s no place like a safe home,’ reiterating the fact that child abuse can happen in any size, shape or color home.
“Child abuse is not easy. It’s not easy to hear about, it’s not easy to talk about,” said Madelyn Stadinger, Event and Fundraising Coordinator for the Center. “The community that we have throughout West Tennessee is literally changing thousands of lives.”
The lineup for the telethon is as follows:
- Reverend Jesse and the Holy Smokes, 1 p.m.
- Smooth Jazz Progressions, 2 p.m.
- Music by KOTA, 3 p.m.
- Lower Middle Class, 4 p.m.
- Paula Bridges and the Bandstand Review, 5 p.m.
Additionally, a children’s book is in the works to help cultivate safe homes for children across West Tennessee,
The book, There’s No Place Like A Safe Home, was written and illustrated by Chip Dixon and Marisa Shoop. It aims to show that no matter how ideal a home looks, abuse can happen and those who are abused are not alone.
“My dearest hope is that this book can be, in some small way, a tool to help children realize they are not alone,” said Dixon. “It does happen to other children and they can be brave and move through this.”
There is currently not a publish date set for the book, but members from the center are hopeful about the success it will have once it is released.
If you have questions about the telethon or want to get involved with the Exchange Club Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse, contact Stadinger at 731-668-4000 ext. 1006.
