State Attorney’s Office Prosecutor Frank Sullivan was honored with the “Making the Difference” award by the Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center, State Attorney Larry Basford announced.
The award was given Friday at the GCCAC’s Panama City Appreciation Luncheon recognizing Bay County agencies that support and work closely with the GCCAC.
GCCAC Executive Director Lori Allen said Sullivan was chosen for the honor based on his consistent, continuing and successful prosecutions of child abusers.
“I’m extremely grateful to be recognized for the hard work that our office does, in conjunction with law enforcement and the GCCAC, to help protect our community’s children from some of the most heinous crimes we see,” Sullivan said after accepting the award at Emerald Coast Fellowship on Jenks Avenue.
The luncheon was one of a number of events hosted by GCCAC during Child Abuse Prevention Month highlighting its work and the collaboration with its partner agencies across Bay, Jackson, Gulf, Washington, Holmes and Calhoun counties.
There are still a number of planned community events for those wanting to show their support.
Wednesday is #DenimDay, where employees at participating agencies and businesses contribute $5 to wear blue jeans to work. Also Wednesday is the Marianna is the Walk in My Shoes 2024 event. (https://tinyurl.com/2va6n62d)
Saturday is Panama City’s Walk in My Shoes, along with a Community Day Celebration from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m . at the GCCAC, 210 E. 11th St. (https://tinyurl.com/4w445x58)
Basford said the GCCAC not only works to protect and serve victims of child abuse, but is invaluable to the prosecution of cases involving child abuse. Victims of child abuse are interviewed by professionals at the GCCAC with training in dealing with juvenile victims.
For more information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.