April 4, 2008 Copyright 2008 - The Houston Chronicle Festival to benefit Child Advocates, kick of Abuse Prevention Month By ARLENE NISSON LASSIN FUN and games for children of all ages are expected when the H-E-B Children's Festival is held by Baker Hughes in downtown Houston Saturday-Sunday around City Hall, Tranquility Park and Sam Houston Park. The 20th annual festival will run from 10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. each day, and more than 50,000 people are expected to attend. But behind the fun is a more serious side. April is designated as Child Abuse Prevention Month, and proceeds from the festival will benefit Child Advocates Inc., 2401 Portsmouth, a nonprofit organization that assists abused and neglected children. In its 20 years, the festival has raised nearly $3.7 million for the organization. "The H-E-B Children's Festival, along with several other fundraisers and generous foundation, corporate and individual donations, provides our nearly $3 million budget," said Dena Miller, marketing manager for Child Advocates. "These funds helped us serve over 1,700 children last year alone." The star of the event this year is actor, singer and dancer Corbin Bleu, one of the stars of the Disney movie High School Musical. He will perform on one of six stages that will offer musical entertainment. The event also will feature more than 350 interactive activities, including music, crafts, exhibits, participatory games, sports and rides. Adventure Zones will have various themes: circus, safety, math, health and fitness. Child Advocates was founded in 1984. It relies on more than 530 trained volunteer advocates, who help guide abused children who have been removed from their homes by Child Protective Services through the court process. Peggy, mother to a 7-year-old daughter, is one of the group's success stories. (Names of volunteers are withheld by the organization.) In 2000, while addicted to drugs and alcohol, Peggy learned she was pregnant. In a downward spiral, she was unable to stop her addictions and her daughter was born with cocaine and alcohol in her system. CPS took her daughter away, and Peggy entered rehabilitation determined to get her life back in order. When her daughter was 10 months old, Peggy was able to regain custody with the help of Child Advocates. "Child Advocates is a God-sent miracle for me because the courts wanted me to relinquish my parental rights, and I had a tough caseworker from CPS," Peggy said. "But our Child Advocate Joan was an angel, who saw I was sincere in wanting to change my life. She stood up for me, but was honest that I had an uphill battle. "Still, I did everything the courts wanted me to do, and Joan helped me regain custody. This would have been very difficult if it hadn't been for Joan and Child Advocates." Peggy now works for a major corporation, is raising her daughter and has become an active volunteer for Child Advocates. "I feel blessed to have had that kind of program available, so I will do anything I can for them," Peggy said. "I get chills even now, years later, knowing that although I had no one else in the world, the people at this organization cared for me and were there for me to help me turn my life around."