By Darlene Brace
April is the National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and the Child Advocacy Program of Chautauqua County (CAP) invites you to attend their 14th annual CAP Diamond Dinner and Auction. This event will take place at Chautauqua Suites in Mayville on Saturday, April 18th, from 5-9pm. The spacious banquet room will be elegantly decorated to accommodate around 300 guests. Tables of eight will be arranged throughout the room, with many being sponsored by local businesses and members of CAP. Guests are encouraged to dress in business casual to semi-formal attire for attending this elegant occasion.
CAP is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children affected by abuse. It’s important to clarify that CAP should not be confused with CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). CASA is a vital child advocacy program that trains court-appointed advocates to assist abused children. While CASA shares some similarities with CAP, they are distinct organizations.
CAP investigates child abuse with a collaborative multidisciplinary team, including police, Child Protective Services, medical and mental health professionals, and court advocates in Chautauqua County. This team coordinates prevention, investigation, prosecution, and treatment for child sexual and physical abuse, providing support for affected children. Proceeds from the Diamond Dinner and Auction directly support these children.
The Diamond Dinner and Auction event will kick off with a cocktail hour from 5-6:30pm. During this time, guests can mingle and enjoy appetizers along with beverages from the cash bar. A DJ will provide music, and attendees can browse and purchase tickets for the basket raffles and a 50/50 drawing. Winners of the basket raffles will be posted later in the evening.
Guests will have the opportunity to view live auction items, allowing them to see what items they might be interested in bidding on. By attending this event, each guests’ name will be entered into a drawing for a diamond ring of great value. Guests can buy additional tickets for more chances to win the diamond ring,
A buffet-style dinner will be served around 6:30pm. As guests finish their dessert, there will be a short presentation about CAP and its services, including a short video. The live auction will begin shortly after dessert and this presentation are completed.
For the live auction, each guest will receive a bidding card to raise when they wish to bid on an item, following typical auction format. The live auction will be led by local auctioneer Chuck Ludwig, creating an atmosphere filled with anticipation and excitement.
The items up for bid will vary in type and price ranges. Items offered for auction may include pieces of furniture, jewelry, artwork, and of course Rob’s Famous Cookies. Additionally, there will be unique experiences auctioned off, with a few highlights being getaways, a hot air balloon ride, a dinner with the Jamestown Fire Department, an Ion Sky concert, and a house party with Bill Ward, among others.
It is quite entertaining to watch in awe as some of the prices for the items being bid on exceed their actual value. Sometimes, bidding wars erupt among guests who really desire certain items. The auction will continue until all the items have been bid on and purchased. Toward the end of the event, excitement builds as the winner of the diamond ring is announced. At the conclusion of the evening, the diamond ring will be awarded to one of the lucky guests.
You are encouraged to attend this important and fun event. Beth Oakes, CAP’s Executive Director said, “We are so grateful for the community support we receive to help us sustain the vital services we provide for children and families in Chautauqua County.”
So, please consider attending the CAP Diamond Dinner and Auction. Tickets and sponsorships are available at capjustice.org. The evening will feature elegance, delicious food, and the excitement of a live auction, along with diamond ring giveaways, promising to be an exhilarating experience. It’s a great opportunity to get dressed up, enjoy a fun night mingling with people from the community, while supporting this worthy cause that helps abused children.