Sold out: Carl Perkins Center in Hardin County hosting first big fundraising dinner in two years

UPDATE, JUNE 16 – Citing the heat advisory, organizers are moving the event indoors to The Venue, next door to Savannah Market.

ORIGINAL STORY – Savannah Market on Main Street is transforming into an outdoor restaurant for the Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse of Hardin County’s annual fundraising dinner.
“The Gathering, A Feast On Main Street,” takes place June 16 at 6 p.m. and is replacing the organization’s “Dancing with the Stars” fundraising dinner. The last “Dancing with the Hardin County Stars” event was held in 2019 at Pickwick Landing State Park Inn and raised more than $36,000. Because of the COVID pandemic, no dinner event was held for two years.
“We are super excited to be able to once again host our annual dinner as it is our biggest fundraiser of the year. Like many other organizations, we have been financially struggling due to COVID, while the need for our services has increased,” said Teresa Nelson, county director of the Carl Perkins Center in Savannah.
During the pandemic the number of children served by the organization nearly doubled, from 118 children to more than 230 children, she said.
The Carl Perkins Center provides support to families in preventing and handling child abuse in Hardin County. The center’s goal is to help both parents and children meet their needs of preserving and improving their family life.
Programs for children include a 24-hour hotline, victim advocacy services, forensic interview services and trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy. The center also offers parenting skills group classes, care giving support groups and a relative caregiver program to help prevent children from entering the foster care system.
Tickets for the feast featuring Hardin County High School’s musical performance group WIRED and a special guest appearance by country music artist Darryl Worley sold out last week.
“We are hoping people will enjoy the different setting this year and have a good meal in a nice outside setting in downtown Savannah,” Nelson said.
For more information about the Carl Perkins Center and its services, go to www.carlperkinscenter.org.