Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel Presents 2009 Child Advocate of the Year Award

Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel presented Child AbuseWatch's Child Advocate of the Year Award on Friday, November 13th, 2009. This was the first time that this honor has been awarded.

The recipient, Vicki Tucci Esq, Circuit Director, Guardian ad Litem Program, 15th Judicial Circuit spoke of the importance of all aspects of the child advocacy community in helping children. Mayor Frankel spoke about her respect and support of the Guardian Program and of Ms. Tucci's role in particular.

The event was well attended on a warm sunny Palm Beach afternoon. The judiciary was represented by Chief Justice Judge Peter Blanc. Colleagues attended as did volunteers, staff, friends and family.

Mr. Evin Daly, CEO of One Child international Inc, the non-profit that operates the Child AbuseWatch network opened the event at City Hall with an overview of the importance of Ms. Tucci's and the Guardian ad Litem staff roles which he described as 'as much a vocation as a career." The event was followed by coffee and cake.

The Guardian ad Litem Program serves a volunteer base of over 350 community advocates who advocate for the best interests of abused, abandoned and neglected children. So far this year the program has represented 2,200 children.

Ms. Tucci is also an Instructor at South University, teaching an ABA-Approved Paralegal Program since 2004. She is a member of the Florida Bar, the Palm Beach County Bar Association. She is a graduate of Florida Atlantic University and Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center. In 2002, Ms. Tucci attained the honor of Blackstone Fellow through the Alliance Defense Fund. She was also the recipient of a Florida Bar Fellowship, focused on ProBono work.

One Child International Inc., is the non-profit operator of Child AbuseWatch. Child AbuseWatch (CAN) is a child abuse prevention and education network. The network delivers essential child abuse prevention information and crisis resources across the United States and worldwide for the public. In addition CAN provides predator tracking and investigative resources to case managers and law enforcement. As educators CAN provides reports, resources and educational materials for health and law enforcement professionals.

Event Photoshere

Sources:
One Child International Inc. www.1child.net. Child AbuseWatch www.abusewatch.net
Guardian ad Litem, Palm Beach County: www.galpbc.org