Kids First Child Advocacy Center of the 9th Judicial District of Tennessee

✨ What an unforgettable evening at the Kids First Child Advocacy Center Light the Night event!✨

It was a HUGE success, and we are beyond grateful for the incredible support we continue to receive from our community. 💙

💙From the amazing music by Liquid Velvet, to all of the fellowship, dancing, laughter, delicious food, and time spent together — it was truly a night to remember! Most importantly, together we raised incredible funds to support victims of child abuse and help provide hope, healing, and a path toward a brighter future for the children and families we serve.

💙We are so thankful to everyone who came out to support our mission, truly as a part of our Kids First CAC family. Your support means more than words can express.💙

💙A very special thank you to Wampler’s Farm Sausage and White Mountain Homes for sponsoring this wonderful event and for their generous support of our mission.

🎶We also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Chuck Ruth for writing and debuting “Defenders of the Weak,” a powerful song honoring those who work every single day to protect and defend children who are victims of child abuse. 💙

✨Special thanks as well to Calhouns and all of the incredible staff who worked so hard to help make the night wonderful for everyone there. Your hard work, hospitality, and dedication helped make the evening truly unforgettable.

✨Thank you for helping us shine a light for children in our community. We already can’t wait to do it again next year!💙

✨ LIGHT THE NIGHT IS TONIGHT! Tickets are still available online and will also be available for purchase at the door! 

There’s still time to join us for an unforgettable evening supporting the children and families served by Kids First Child Advocacy Center of the Ninth Judicial District. 💙

Join us TONIGHT, May 19th at Calhoun’s Tiki Hut in Lenoir City for a night of great food, live music, community, and purpose as we shine together for victims of child abuse.

Come relaxed, comfortable, and ready to have a great time!

🎟 Tickets are still available online NOW and will also be available at the door for $100!

💙 Every ticket helps provide hope, healing, advocacy, and support for children who need us most.

📍 Calhoun’s Tiki Hut – Lenoir City
🕠 Doors Open at 5:30 PM
🎶 Live Music by Liquid Velvet at 6 PM
🍽 BBQ Dinner Included

Get your tickets here:https://givebutter.com/light-the-night-shining-together-for-victims-of-child-abuse-5vxf5i

For more information:[email protected] | 865-986-1505

💙 Help us Light the Night for our kids.

Light the Night - Shining Together for Victims of Child Abuse BBQ, Good Vibes & Great Music Featuring Liquid Velvet

✨ LIGHT THE NIGHT IS TOMORROW NIGHT! ✨

There’s still time to join us for an unforgettable evening supporting the children and families served by Kids First Child Advocacy Center of the Ninth Judicial District. 💙

And yes… we’re keeping it CASUAL! 💙

Flip flops, shorts and comfy clothes are absolutely encouraged! Come relaxed, comfortable, and ready to have a great time!

Join us Tomorrow, May 19th at Calhoun’s Tiki Hut in Lenoir City for a night of great food, live music, community, and purpose as we shine together for victims of child abuse.

🎟 Tickets are still available NOW!

💙 Every ticket helps provide hope, healing, advocacy, and support for children who need us most.

📍 Calhoun’s Tiki Hut – Lenoir City
🕠 Doors Open at 5:30 PM
🎶 Live Music by Liquid Velvet at 6 PM
🍽 BBQ Dinner Included

Get your tickets here:
https://givebutter.com/light-the-night-shining-together-for-victims-of-child-abuse-5vxf5i

For more information:
[email protected] | 865-986-1505

💙 Help us Light the Night for our kids.

Light the Night - Shining Together for Victims of Child Abuse BBQ, Good Vibes & Great Music Featuring Liquid Velvet

✨ Light the Night – Shining Together for Victims of Child Abuse

💙 The countdown is ON! We are only DAYS away from Light the Night, and now is the time to get your tickets for this incredible evening supporting the Kids First Child Advocacy Center of the Ninth Judicial District!

Join us Tuesday, May 19th at Calhoun’s Tiki Hut in Lenoir City for a night filled with compassion, community, great food, music, and purpose.

At Kids First CAC, children who have experienced abuse are met with safety, support, advocacy, and trauma-focused services that help them begin the journey toward healing and hope. Since opening our doors, we have served more than 8,500 children and families and received over 10,500 referrals — each one representing a child who deserved to be heard, protected, and supported.

✨ Your ticket helps make that possible.

💙 Event Details:
📍 Calhoun’s Tiki Hut – Lenoir City
🕠 Doors Open: 5:30 PM
🎶 Live Music Begins: 6 PM featuring Liquid Velvet playing your favorite hits from the 70s, 80s & 90s
🍽 Delicious BBQ Dinner
✨ An evening filled with connection, compassion, and impact

🎟 Tickets: $100 per person

💙 Help us Light the Night and shine together for our kids.

Get your tickets NOW!
Purchase Tickets Here: https://givebutter.com/light-the-night-shining-together-for-victims-of-child-abuse-5vxf5i

Contact [email protected] 865-986-1505 for more information

💙 Closing Out Child Abuse Awareness Month 💙

As April has come to an end, we pause to reflect on a month filled with awareness, advocacy, and a shared commitment to protecting children in our community.

This has truly been an incredible month. From our Pinwheel Planting, where each blue pinwheel represented a child we served—stories of courage, resilience, and hope… to connecting with so many of you at the Snail Darter Festival, where we had the opportunity to share our mission and engage with families across our community… this month showed the power of coming together.

💙A special thank you to Christian Spears, CEO and Founder of Tennessee Brew Works and the new Lenoir City Barrel House, for his incredible support of Kids First CAC and for helping bring the community together at the Snail Darter Festival.

💙We are also deeply grateful to United Community Bank for donating Easter baskets to brighten the lives of the children we serve.

💙 A special thank you to Kingston United Methodist Church Clothes Closet and Ben Williams for your unwavering support. It was truly an honor to celebrate your incredible milestone of donating over $1 million to charities in Roane County and all you have done to serve so many throughout our community. The Kids First CAC is so grateful for your continued partnership and generosity.

💙We are especially thankful for our amazing Executive Director, Chris Evans-Longmire and all our staff at the CAC, our volunteers, community members, leaders, law enforcement, DCS, and partners who continuously step up, speak out, and stand strong for kids.

Every day, we serve children in Loudon, Morgan, Meigs, and Roane counties who have experienced severe physical and sexual abuse—most often at the hands of someone they know, trust, and love. Our mission is to heal the pain of child abuse, and we do that by providing a safe, child-friendly place where children can be heard, supported, and begin their journey toward healing.

Because of this community, children are not alone.
Because of your support, healing is possible.
Because you care, hope is restored.
But awareness must turn into action.

💙 Continue the mission with us:
✔️ Learn the signs of child abuse
✔️ Speak up and report suspected abuse
✔️ Support organizations like Kids First CAC
✔️ Share this message and keep the conversation going

✨ And the momentum continues…

💙 Tickets are ON SALE NOW for Light the Night – Shining Together for Victims of Child Abuse! 💙

Join us on Tuesday, May 19th at Calhoun's Tiki Bar for an unforgettable evening of BBQ, good vibes, and great music featuring Liquid Velvet.

🎟️ Tickets are $100 per person—and every ticket directly supports the Kids First Child Advocacy Center, helping provide critical, trauma-informed services to children and families at no cost.

Since opening our doors, we have served more than 8,500 children and families and received over 10,500 referrals—each one representing a child who deserves to be heard, protected, and supported.

This is what Light the Night is all about—coming together as a community to ensure no child has to face abuse alone, and that every child has a path to a brighter future, one where their trauma does not and will not ever define them.

👉 Get your tickets here: https://givebutter.com/light-the-night-shining-together-for-victims-of-child-abuse-5vxf5i

💙 Together, we can make a difference. Together, we can protect children and help them find hope and healing.

From all of us at Kids First CAC—thank you for standing with us this month and every month. 💙

💙 April is Child Abuse Awareness Month

Every child deserves a safe, happy, and carefree childhood.

💙 This month, blue ribbons and pinwheels serve as powerful reminders—not only of the children we serve, but of our shared responsibility to protect them.

💙 Blue pinwheels represent the bright, joyful childhood every child deserves.

💙 Blue ribbons honor the children whose lives have ended because of severe acts of child abuse and serve to remind us that we must protect all children from acts of child abuse.

💙At Kids First Child Advocacy Center of the 9th Judicial District, we work every day to protect children and help them heal.

💙In 2025, we served 346 child abuse survivors. And in most cases, the child knew their offender—someone they trusted, someone close to home.

That’s why prevention starts with all of us.

🛑 How we can protect children:

✔️ Teach children the proper names for their body parts
✔️ Help them understand that some touches, secrets, or behaviors are never okay
✔️ Encourage them to tell a safe, trusted adult if something doesn’t feel right
✔️ Let them know they will always be believed and supported
✔️ Remind them—it is NEVER their fault
✔️ Be present, listen closely, and create an environment where children feel safe to speak

💙 Prevention through education

The Child Advocacy Center provides school-based child abuse prevention education year-round across Loudon County, with expanded outreach throughout April—because knowledge empowers children and protects futures.

💙 A field of pinwheels… a field of stories

Our Pinwheel Garden stands as a powerful visual— each pinwheel represents a child we served in 2025.

Each one is a story of courage, resilience, and hope.

💙 Together, we can create a future—
one where every child feels safe, supported, and free to simply be a child.

🎄✨ Christmas Cheer at the Kids First CAC ✨🎄

This week, the lobby of the Kids First Child Advocacy Center of the 9th Judicial District was filled with smiles, laughter, and a whole lot of Christmas cheer!

We were honored to welcome Santa and Mrs. Claus, portrayed by Kelly Pipkin and his wife, Jennifer, who stopped by for cookies and Christmas fun for the children of the CAC and Iva’s Place. This marks the third year Kelly and Jennifer have generously served as Santa and Mrs. Claus for the KTG Foundation, bringing joy and comfort to children during the holidays.

A heartfelt thank-you to Jennifer and Rocky King and the KTG Foundation for making this special visit possible and for their continued support of our children and families. 🎁

We were also grateful to have our Executive Director, Chris Evans-Longmire, join Santa and Mrs. Claus during the visit! Her leadership and dedication to our mission and those we serve is a gift all year long❤️

🐾Chase is on the Case!🚓

There’s no mystery too big when Det. Greg Scalf of the Roane County Sheriff's Office is on the job — especially when he’s dressed as Chase from Paw Patrol! 💙

Today at Kids First Child Advocacy Center of the Ninth Judicial District, Chase reminded everyone that helping kids feel safe, brave, and cared for is always our top mission. Thank you, Det. Scalf, for bringing smiles, laughter, and a whole lot of heart to the children we serve.

Because when community heroes and our CAC team work together, every child knows: no job is too big, no pup is too small — and hope is always on the case!🐾

💙Join us at Senator Ken Yager’s 30th Annual Chili Supper benefiting Kids First Child Advocacy Center of the 9th Judicial District!

We are honored to be this year’s beneficiary as we work to support children in Roane County. Your presence helps protect kids, give them a voice, and support their healing journey.

Plus — don’t miss our Silent Auction with amazing items generously donated by our community!

Together, we can make a difference — one child at a time.
Thank you for standing with us and helping children find safety, healing, and hope. 💙

🎯🥇 One Last Round, One Last Thank You! 🥇🎯

As we gear up for the final round of the 2025 Aim For Advocacy Sporting Clays Tournament, we want to take a moment to send a huge THANK YOU to our Presenting Sponsor, Wampler's Farm Sausage! 🌭💙

From the very first shot to this final round, Wampler’s has been right there with us, fueling this tournament with their incredible support and helping us stay on target for the kids served by the Kids First Child Advocacy Center. 🙌

This event simply wouldn’t be the same without their partnership and commitment to making a difference in our community. Every clay broken today is another step toward hope, healing, and brighter futures for children who need it most.

👏 Let’s give Wampler’s Farm Sausage a big round of applause as we finish strong and keep aiming for advocacy together!