Children's Advocacy Center marks 35th anniversary during Proclamation Day

BLOUNTVILLE — No fooling, the Children's Advocacy Center of Sullivan County celebrated its 35th anniversary Wednesday, April 1. U.S. Rep. Diana Harshbarger, R-1st, attended the CAC ceremony and spoke, saying during and after the ceremony those who abuse children better hope that law enforcement get to them before she does. Meanwhile, the newest CAC employee slept through part of the ceremony. Again, no fooling, but more on those things later, as well as why blue was a dominant color at the event and warn by two CAC employees who work closely with the newest CAC employee. Proclamation Day was for the mayors of Sullivan County and its cities to sign a proclamation about April being National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Sullivan County Mayor Richard Venable, Kingsport Mayor Paul Montgomery and Bristol Mayor Vince Turner signed, and Bluff City Mayor Lori Staton, unable to attend, was to sign later. Venable recalled that he was a state representative at the time the CAC began and worked with state Rep. Keith Westmoreland, R-Kingsport, now deceased, to support CAC of Sullivan County. Venable said it has saved "thousands of children" over 35 years. Montgomery recalled he was working for Eastman Chemical Co. 35 years ago, and that Eastman stepped up to help fund the CAC. "The statistics they say are just the tip of the iceburg," Harshbarger told the crowd gathered behind the CAC headquarters at 150 Blountville Bypass, decrying that federal laws don't do more to discourage and catch those engaging and sex trafficking and molestation. "I can't thank you enough for what you do," Harshbarger said. The CACs "are essential in how we protect children and pursue justice." That includes having children only tell their story one time at the CAC instead of multiple times to prosecutors, investigators and other agencies. "Protecting children is not an optional thing. It is a responsibility we share." Harshbarger also said "God help them," referring to sex offenders who attack children, if she gets to them before authorities do. She made a similar statement to reporters after the event, viewable in a video in the online version of this article and the Kingsport Times News YouTube channel. After the cameras stopped rolling, Harshbarger said she is not a vigilante but would "beat the crap out of them" if she got to offenders before police. AWARD WINNERS The CAC for Sullivan County, the first CAC in Tennessee, also used the event Wednesday morning to present awards to three people instrumental in the not-for-profit agencies mission, giving a Blue Ribbon Award to Sullivan County Detective Sarah Lawson, a Fred Cole Champion for Children award to church pre-school teacher Aubyn Lybarger of the Kingsport area and a special award to Kingsport pediatrician, Dr. Susan Jeansome. She is known as "Dr. J" to children and families served by the CAC. "To be on that board and see the impact it makes on our community is incredible," Mike Mains, a member of the CAC board, said of the award recipients and new employee. "God uses them in a very unique, special way." According to the CAC website, "The Children's Advocacy Center of Sullivan County (CAC) provides help, hope, and healing to child victims of sexual and physical abuse." The new employee on the job about six months, is Bogart, more properly Bogart IV. He's a mix of a Labrador Retriever and Golden Retriever. In the spotlight but not receiving a formal award, Bogart is technically Bogart IV. The 2-year-old dog works with primary victim interviewer Lura Meade and victim advocate Leah Lane. Bogart comforts children during the interview about their abuse and sometimes attends court hearings with children to comfort them and keep them calm. Meade said Bogart, originally from California, came through Canine Companions, which provided the animal trained for CAC, for free after the CAC went through an application process. Meade said she did 300 child interviews in 2025. "Bogart has a way with these kids," CAC Director Gena Frye said after the event. BLUE RIBBON ORIGINS The Blue Ribbon Award grew out of grandmother's grief over the death of a grandson in Chesapeake, Virginia, in 1988, for which her daughter, abused by her husband, was sentenced to five years imprisonment and her son-in-law was given 55 years imprisonment, for the death of their son and her grandson, "Bubba." His body was found "wrapped in a sheet, stuffed into a toolbox and dumped into the Dismal Swamp Canal three months earlier." The grandmother, Bonnie Finney, wrote about how putting a blue ribbon on her van antenna made people wonder why and "caught on locally with restaurants, businesses, policy and TV and radio stations supporting me in my efforts to make it a real awareness campaign." Kay Ward, president of the CAC board, said some sobering statistics are as follows: 42 million survivors of sexual abuse live in the United States; at least one in four girls and one in six boys are molested before age 18; between 2 of 3 to 90% of victims never report their abuse; about 90% of abuse victims are abused by someone they know and love; and 2,500 deaths a year are caused by sexual abuse, which she said in truth is likely more since it is such an underreported offense. CAC Director Gena Frye said a whole community of agencies helps CAC with its mission: the Tennessee Department of Children's Services; Sullivan County District Attorney General's Office; law enforcement in Bluff City, Bristol, Kingsport and Sullivan County; and local, state and federal political leaders. Rob Peel, a trustee with the Bill Gatton Foundation, read a poem about building bridges often recited by Gatton, an automobile dealer who left money to various charities and not-for-profit groups such as the local CAC. It is viewable on a virtual reel posted on the Times News Facebook and Instagram. Pamela Johnson, victim services supervisor, said the CAC just has to "say it out loud" for funding to emerge for CAC from the Gatton group and others.