MAY 1, 2018 – Plano, TX – Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County’s (CACCC) Gala 2018 Deep in the Heart of Collin County raised over $550,000, benefiting children victimized by abuse or neglect with almost 1,000 guests in attendance on March 24th at The Star in Frisco. The event featured a headline performance by country music star, Jake Owen.
“As I reflect on Gala weekend, I am in awe of all the generosity. Nearly 1,000 members of the Collin County community came out to help us ensure that no child goes without the services they need to heal after suffering the trauma of abuse or neglect. These children would be so comforted to know that they don’t stand alone as they battle their way back to a healthy, happy future,” said CACCC CEO, Lynne McLean. “I am proud to stand with each of them as we fight the good fight. Thousands of children will have their voice back, and I am deeply grateful on their behalf.”
Community leaders and longtime supporters of CACCC, Carolyn Speese and Susan Spindler, served as the event chairs for Gala 2018 “Deep in the Heart of Collin County”. Carolyn and Susan proudly advocate for the children we serve within our community as volunteers and as donors and set the bar high this year for Gala.
“We were delighted to chair Gala 2018 –Deep in the Heart of Collin County, bringing this fabulous event back to our community. This year’s theme was selected for several reasons, the most important- this premier event coming back to Collin County, where over 60,000 children and families have been provided essential services at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County for over 25 years,” said Carolyn and Susan, “We are passionate about the mission of Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County – providing safety, healing, and justice to children victimized by abuse and neglect. Collin County is truly a great place to work and live, but we would be naive to think that child abuse and neglect are not critical issues when just this past year there were 4,383 alleged victims of child abuse in Collin County. With our community continuing to grow, our commitment must grow as well.”
Returning to Gala this year was the exciting Lexus car raffle proudly presented by DFW Lexus Dealers. DFW Lexus Dealers donated a 2018 Lexus RC for the raffle with the winner selected at the event. Thanks to the support of DFW Lexus Dealers, twenty-five hundred tickets were sold for this year’s car raffle and generated $125,000 for the children we serve! This year’s lucky winners were April and Brandon Ferguson!
We gratefully acknowledge the following underwriters and sponsors:
Exclusive Automotive Partner – DFW Lexus Dealers
$75,000 – Carolyn & Mark Speese
$25,000 – DADS Advisory Fund; Independent Bank; Rent-A-Center
$15,000 – Cathy & Richard Riccardi; Neiman Marcus Willow Bend; Bloomfield Knoble; Roy’s Restaurant with the Dharod Family; Sloan Investment Management, LLC.; Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano
$10,000 – Advocare; Caliber Collision; Estell & Pope Families; Inez & Dan Browning; Deborah & Donald Braun; Texas Instruments
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