Shooting Star Award Winners Announced for North Star Child Advocacy Center | News, sports, jobs

(Photo illustration – MetroCreative)

PARKERSBURG – The North Star Child Advocacy Center will host its second annual fundraising and awards gala at the Parkersburg Art Center on Saturday, Dec. 21 from 6 to 10 p.m.

At last year’s inaugural North Star Night Out event, 190 people were in attendance at the Art Center to support North Star and its mission to help and heal children suffering from child abuse.

NSCAC officially serves Wood, Wirt, Pleasants, Ritchie and Calhoun counties. NSCAC also works with child protective services, law enforcement and prosecutors in these counties, providing them with forensic interviews and medical examinations for their child abuse investigations.

In addition to food from Valley Catering and a bar from Wine Down on Market at the fundraiser, there will be an Art for Advocacy Silent Auction featuring art from children in the five-county service area.

“Last year we had some wonderful pieces, but I think this year will be even more amazing.” said NSCAC Executive Director Greg Collins. “We have had good feedback from our counties this year and some of the work may include wood and metal work alongside traditional artwork. “Some 3D art projects that have already been submitted are beautiful.” he said.

One of the more important functions of North Star Night Out is to present awards to those who have gone above and beyond what was required of them in caring for children or in supporting NSCAC itself.

“Everyone who gets up every day and stands up for the children deserves an award. Anyone who directly does something to help North Star function at the highest level for our children deserves an award. We tried to select people who really excelled in this mission.” Collins said.

This year’s list of Shooting Star Award winners was compiled by North Star staff. With possible future additions, the current list includes Williamstown Bank-North Parkersburg Branch, The Giving Cup, Krista Fleegle (Assistant Ritchie Co. Attorney), Delegate Scot Heckert, Sgt. Shane Semones (Parkersburg PD), Amanda Rubenstein and Service Dog Creighton, Amber Holbert (NSCAC Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner), Barbara Gunsch (Faith Gospel Church), Darliss Eichhorn (Celanese), Janet Brandsasse (Parkersburg PD Investigator) and Russell Skogstad (Wood County Assistant Prosecutor).

“This group did great things for our children in 2024 and we are proud to honor them in this small way.” Collins said.

There is an addition to this year’s North Star Night Out based on recommendations from some ladies who attended the event last year, he said.

“I didn’t think buying a new dress for our Christmas cocktail gala would be such a big part of the equation. The women bought dresses months before the event and many wanted to be able to take off their high heels in their new dress and dance the night away. As requested, we will end the evening this year from around 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. with the dance from our event production provider Premiere Productions Entertainment.” Collins said.

It was inspiring to look around the room last year and see all the people in the community supporting North Star, he said.

“Child abuse is a real problem and the details of sexual and physical abuse are nothing short of evil. The level of neglect some of our children live with is worse than some of the conditions our pets live in, and that is a fact.” Collins said. “North Star is the busiest of the 21 child welfare centers in the state of West Virginia, think about it. We have so many cases and our child protective services and law enforcement are doing a great job getting them here. Not only so that we can help with the investigation, but also so that we can begin to put the children and non-offending families on their healing path and give them the help they need to be successful in life, what Of course it can take years.” he said.

Coca-Cola is the title sponsor of this year’s North Star Night Out. Sponsorship for the gala continues to be offered in various packages, with Perry and Associates, MC Augstkalns, Celanese and Williamstown Bank already supporting the event. V96.9 and CAS Cable are in-kind sponsors and will disseminate the information. Single tickets cost $50 and table reservations are available for $600.

Tickets and/or sponsorship can be purchased at. Those interested can also go to Northstarcac.org and look under “Events” for information.