First grader, Megan, came to the Center on a weekday morning dressed heavily for the fall weather. Megan had something to hide under her thick jacket. Her petite body was covered in large, purple bruises left by her father's belt. The marks were on her face, her torso, her legs and back. Megan had hidden her report card because she received poor marks for talking too much in class. Her six-year-old mind told her to hide it, not realizing that her teacher would ask her parents for it when she didn't return it with a signature. When her parents asked her about it, Megan was promised that she wouldn't get in trouble as long as she told the truth. After Megan gave them her hidden report card, she was told she would have to wait for her punishment. Fifty "hits" for her deception. She was forced to count each one.

When Megan began the interview at the Center she became anxious when asked to tell the truth. Because the interviewer did not know what had happened to Megan, telling her she would not get in trouble did not have a calming affect. Telling the truth had not been a positive experience for Megan. The interviewer had to work to gain Megan's trust, so she felt comfortable telling what happened. Therafter, the caseworker began looking for a safe placement for Megan so that telling the truth did not cause her more pain, fear and betrayal. *Names and other identifying circumstances have been changed to protect the privacy of children and families.

Our newest therapist may be a little different than you first expect, but he is a big hit with the children at the Center for Child Protection. Holiday, a Hound/Weimaraner mix, and his faithful companion Bruce McDougall have been making the rounds in the evening working with children while their parents attend parenting classes. Patient and gentle, Holiday sits with the children and gives each one individual attention. Bruce says Holiday's favorite snack food is chicken, especially fried chicken. Asked how Holiday got into this line of work, Bruce responded, "Friends told me that Holiday is just such a calm, even-tempered dog, you ought to think about visiting hospitals." That's just what he did. In 2001, Holiday began the rigorous certification process and is now a certified therapy dog with Austin-based Therapy Pet Pals of Texas. Among his current volunteer work, Holiday visits children and adolescents at the Austin State Hospital every other Saturday, and has taken on many other therapy assignments across Austin. He is one of a team of 185 dogs and 6 cats who provide pet therapy in the Austin and Houston areas. We are grateful to Bruce for sharing Holiday with the children at the Center for Child Protection and to Ginny's Printing & Mailing for encouraging employees, like Bruce, to volunteer at the Center.

On November 1st, Center for Child Protection volunteers, staff, and agency partners met to honor the men and women who have excelled in serving child abuse victims this year. The Annual 2007 Team Excellence Awards were presented to

• Patrick McNelis, ADA with the Travis County DA's Office, Legal Professional;
• Veronica Kern, RN of the Dell Children's Medical Center, Medical Professional;
• Demetrie Mitchell of the Travis County Sheriff's Office, Law Enforcement Professional;
• Shana Hill, Child Protective Services Professional;
• Barbara Jefferson, Center for Child Protection Staff Member;
• Debbie Kern, Center for Child Protection Board Leadership Volunteer; and
• Stacy Hollister, Center for Child Protection Direct Service Volunteer.

In addition, the Shauna Jacobson Outstanding Team Leadership Award was presented to Dr. George Edwards of the Dell Children's Medical Center. Dr. Edwards has been a long time member of the Child Protection Team and founded the Children's Assessment Team at Children's Hospital (CATCH), a collaboration designed to detect child abuse when children visit the hospital. For these outstanding advocates who work tirelessly for children in Travis County, we extend our congratulations and thanks.

On November 14, Bank of America presented its 2007 Austin Neighborhood Excellence Initiative Awards at the Bob Bullock Museum recognizing our own Mary Wilbur as a "Local Hero." Mary Wilbur was introduced to the Center for Child Protection in 1997 by the Junior League of Austin. As a League volunteer, Mary assisted Dr. Nauert, the Center's on-site pediatrician who conducts medical examinations in suspected sexual abuse cases. Mary, a mother of three, helped make these children comfortable before their exam. Over the years, Mary got more involved in the cause to help child abuse victims. She joined the Friends of Christopher Guild, the Center's women's leadership organization. As Guild President, Mary helped facilitate the opening the Rainbow Room, a place where caseworkers could pick up donations for needy families. Mary then joined the board of directors and served as the board president from 2004-2006. Under her tenure, she led a successful $9.1 million dollar capital campaign to construct the new Kozmetsky Center for Child Protection. She is continuing her service by overseeing the construction of the new building and continually promoting the Center's mission to stop the cycle of child abuse to friends, family, neighbors, and everyone she meets. Mary has become a steadfast voice on behalf of children, and we honor her dedication. Congratulations, Mary.