LIHUE — The Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of Kauai — a nonprofit that helps local children who have been victims of abuse — is set to host its 7th annual pau hana fundraiser Aug. 2.
Treasure Our Children is from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club tennis courts in Lihue.
“It’s all for local children and it’s all for children who have been abused,” said Amanda Gregg, a Friends board member.
Evening highlights will include heavy pupu, a sushi bar and dessert station, string quartet Allegretto – Kauai Strings, music by Robbie Kaholokula & Friends and Sean Carillo, as well as a performance by Hula Halau Mohala O Ka Pua Hele.
Silent auction items will include a sail boat cruise with Capt. Andy’s Sailing, tours of the National Tropical Botanical Gardens and a horse back ride tour for two.
Friends is a nonprofit created in 1991 as a support system for the work of the Children’s Justice Center of Kauai. Children who are removed from an abusive situation also are faced with an immediate hole in their lives, and though they may be living in foster homes or with relatives away from their biological families, funds for everyday, normal child activities may not be available to them, according to a release for the event.
“This is where the CJC Kauai and Friends come in, building a bridge for an innocent child whose world has been turned upside down — often at the hands of a trusted adult,” states the release.
The center also assists in forensic interviews of children victims, so that they do no need the additional trauma of being interviewed more than once by prosecutors, police and advocates.
In 2011, the Kauai CJC interviewed 78 youth victims of abuse on-island. In April, joining in a statewide effort, the CJC collected 80 pairs of slippers ranging in sizes of 1-year-olds to 17-year-olds to represent the island’s child victims of abuse, in the hopes of raising awareness on Kauai with a focus on sexual abuse against children.
“We have a serious issue with child abuse (on Kauai),” Gregg said.
Tickets for the Treasure our Children Fundraiser cost $40 and are available at the Wine Shop (Koloa), Pictures Plus (Lihue), Cost-U-Less (Kapaa), Vicky’s Fabric (Kapaa), Island Soap (Kilauea) and Candle Works (Kilauea).
