The Children’s Advocacy Center of East Central Illinois and Eastern are currently accepting applications to award individuals who improve the lives of children.

The “Champions for Children” award will be given to people, who have positively impacted the lives of children.

The Children’s Advocacy Center of East Central Illinois is a nonprofit organization that adheres to the needs of children ages 0-18 years that were victims of sexual or severe physical abuse in Coles, Clark, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Moultrie and Shelby counties.

Pam Riddle is the executive director of the center and interviews children who have been through traumatic events and helps their families with the legal process.

Riddle said she is especially passionate about the award because of the impact good deeds can have on traumatized children and their families.

“We’re asking for the public to nominate a youth or someone that they know,” Riddle said. “It could be a child who raised pennies in his grade school to help the orphans in Haiti or it could be someone from their church that not only has collected coats but has also organized several food drives to help children in this area.”

Through the award, Riddle said she wanted to encourage others to continue to reach out to children in need by organizing projects that provide a positive impact, motivates others to get involved, or raises awareness about child abuse issues.

“There are a lot of good people who do a lot of good for children and I feel their stories need to be told,” Riddle said.

Riddle said the new event will become an annual tradition for the Children’s Advocacy Center, Eastern and the exchange clubs of Charleston and Mattoon.

“The Children’s Advocacy Center and the exchange clubs of Charleston and Mattoon and EIU have established a children’s champion award banquet,” Riddle said.

Riddle said the awards ceremony will take place on April 3 in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union and nominations for the Champion for Children awards are due by Feb. 15.

Riddle said Eastern, the exchange clubs and the center are currently looking for community members and youths under the age of 18 that have made an effort to reach out to children in need or someone who has just gone the extra mile to lend a helping hand.

“This is something I’ve wanted to do for several years,” Riddle said.

Kathryn Richter can be reached at 581-2812 or kjrichter@eiu.edu