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SCRANTON — The Children’s Advocacy Center of Northeastern Pennsylvania (CAC/NEPA), which marks its 18th year of service as a child abuse intervention center, will host Cocktails by Moonlight from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 29, at POSH in downtown Scranton.

WNEP’s Sharla McBride will serve as mistress of ceremonies and Ken McGraw will provide musical entertainment.

Admission is $50 and includes light fare and cocktails. The event proceeds will support the critical services provided by the child abuse intervention center, including forensic medical examinations and assessments, forensic interviews, trauma therapy and counseling coordination, child advocacy services and child abuse prevention education.

For more information or to purchase tickets, call 570-969-7313 or visit cacnepa.org.

CAC/NEPA will honor the following area child advocates:

2016 Child Advocates of the Year

• Ryan Alpert and Tom Kelly, co-founders of the KRW Foundation, a charity founded in memory of Jeremy Kelleher, Joseph Ralicke, and Michael Wilding, three friends and fellow graduates of the Dunmore High School Class of 1998. The foundation is dedicated to supporting local charities that target youth and community development in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It hosted several annual “Party with the Pros” events to raise awareness and funding for the CAC/NEPA, donating the event proceeds earned over the past two years to help provide critical child abuse intervention services to children and teens.

• The Corbett Family, of Minooka Subaru, which selected the CAC/NEPA as one of its local charity recipients for the Subaru Share the Love Campaign for the past two years.

• Steven J. Scheinman, M.D., president and dean of The Commonwealth Medical College (TCMC), whose leadership has cultivated a strong partnership between TCMC and CAC/NEPA. His efforts in taking child abuse awareness and prevention education to the forefront of the medical educational community created an array of programs, including the Immersion Project, four Regional Child Abuse Symposiums, Recognizing and Treating Child Abuse Education Programs, and TCMC Medical Student-Created Fundraisers for Children’s Advocacy Center of NEPA.

Distinguished Service Honoree

James Decker, board of directors member and accountant (retired), provided his service, expertise and personal passion to the CAC/NEPA from 2000 through 2015, to defend and protect children served by the CAC/NEPA. As a member of the board of directors, he served on the finance committee as the organization’s professional accountant.

Student Ambassador

Vhalla Otarod proved to be an exceptional intern at the Children’s Advocacy Center of NEPA, where she demonstrated bright intellect along with a caring and compassionate nature. She remains a passionate volunteer who has turned her awareness of child abuse into action by bringing the mission of the Center and the National Children’s Alliance to Brown University.

Hero in Our Midst

Robert Shinal saved the lives of three people, when, on what seemed like an average day, he reacted in an extraordinary way. The CAC/NEPA salutes Shinal for his courageous endeavor.

Cocktails by Moonlight event committee members, from left, first row, Meghan Gagorik, Julie Rudolf, Jess Farrell and dog ‘Grover.’ Second row, Bridget Conway, Nancy Luciani Nealon, Amy Kazmiersk, Mary Ann LaPorta and Thomas Novinger, M.D.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_ABJ-Moonlight.jpg.optimal.jpgCocktails by Moonlight event committee members, from left, first row, Meghan Gagorik, Julie Rudolf, Jess Farrell and dog ‘Grover.’ Second row, Bridget Conway, Nancy Luciani Nealon, Amy Kazmiersk, Mary Ann LaPorta and Thomas Novinger, M.D. Submitted photo

For Abington Journal

Information provided by the Children’s Advocacy Center of NEPA.