LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
More than 300 Airmen and local community leaders gathered to raise money and awareness for child abuse prevention in the Hampton Roads community April 18.
The Hampton Child Protection Team and surrounding military installations held the 24th Annual Celebrity Luncheon to support April's Child Abuse Awareness month, raising more than $7,500.
"We're here for the kids and the volunteers are our celebrities," said Larry Billups, Hampton Child Protection Team vice president and Langley Family Advocacy program assistant. "Every year, we come out here to raise money for kids who are not living lives as they deserve due to child abuse."
Volunteers arrived hours before the luncheon began at the Omni Hotel in Newport News to set up tables and prepare for the silent auction. Airmen and local non-profit organizations volunteered as waitstaff, silent auction hosts and donation accepters.
The volunteers aimed to raise at least $160 per 10-person table at the luncheon. Some waiters charged for napkins, chairs or forks and others charged a flat fee, with all proceeds going to the charity.
The waitstaff raised $5,857.
People also donated to the charity by purchasing items through the silent auction. Local companies and military installations donated items for the hour-long sale. Of the items donated, attendees could bid on tickets to local museums, toys, book collections, military DVDs, golf lessons, toolboxes, diving lessons, and autographed military merchandise and art.
The auction raised more than $1,500 during the luncheon.
What set the celebrity luncheon apart from other charity fundraisers was what happened in the dining room. Throughout the meal, supporters challenged others in attendance to do various tasks for money. The tasks included singing selected karaoke songs dating back to the 1960s, dancing, pretending to be airplanes and performing push-ups.
The Langley first sergeants, along with Rev. Charles Smith of Hampton Baptist Church, received the highest amount of challenges, with an overall total of nearly $500.
"We're glad we were picked for the challenges," said Master Sgt. Vittorio Iuliano 1st Medical Group first sergeant. "There's no better way to raise money for our future leaders than by coming here and representing Langley Airmen."
Money raised from last year's luncheon gave HCPT the opportunity to award grants to supporting members. The United Servicemembers Organization outreach received $500, Fort Monroe Kids Day received $500, Langley first sergeants received $1,000, the transition family violence center received $1,000, the YMCA received $500, Hampton Healthy Family Partnership received $500, Fort Monroe youth services received $475, and Big Brothers and Big Sisters also received grants.
"We hold this event to take care of our troops and preserve families with children needing support with basic necessities," said Mr. Billups. "Nothing can compare to the ability to assist someone who may be going through a rough time and just needs a little help to get back up. We feel that if the family is OK, then the potential for child abuse is not as great."
Tax-deductible donations can be sent to Hampton Child Protection Team, P.O. Box 355, Hampton VA 23669.
Next year's luncheon is scheduled for April 16, 2008, at the new Hampton Convention Center.