Harmony House Celebrating 15 Years of Service In Belmont County
Child Advocacy Center marks 15th anniversary of its St. Clairsville location, highlighting key milestones, community partnerships, and upcoming fundraising event.
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ST. CLAIRSVILLE -- Harmony House is celebrating 15 years of service to children and families in Belmont County following the opening of its St. Clairsville office Aug. 25, 2011.
During the past decade and a half, the center has established vital community partnerships to protect children, support victims of trauma and help hold offenders accountable.
The establishment of the St. Clairsville location was made possible through early support from Pam McCort, director of communications at the Belmont-Harrison-Noble Alliance, who connected founding Executive Director Leslie Vassilaros with regional leadership to address local service needs. The office was provided an operational facility through the Belmont County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
During a recent anniversary recognition, Harmony House honored McCort and Gloria Llewellyn, superintendent and CEO of BHN, for their instrumental support.
"This milestone isn’t just about celebrating a building or a date on a calendar," said current Harmony House Executive Director Jay Jack. "It’s about celebrating 15 years of hard work, partnership, and the people who believed that children in Belmont County deserved a place where they could be heard, protected, supported, and treated with dignity."
The organization acknowledged key contributions from county partners, including the Belmont County commissioners, Belmont County Department of Job and Family Services, local prosecutors, law enforcement, SANE nurses and community organizations such as Tri-County Help Center, SAHC and CASA.
Vassilaros was present, and recently retired Executive Director Rita Coyne was recognized for guiding the agency through the pandemic era. Both were thanked for helping shape the organization.
Key Impact and Statistics
Operating with a dedicated nine-person regional team across Ohio and West Virginia, Harmony House provided critical services last year to 565 clients and family members.
Additional statistics include:
• 346 forensic interviews conducted. Interviewer Robert Scott Steele recently marked his 3,000th lifetime interview milestone this month.
• 592 therapy sessions provided.
• 2,028 acts of advocacy delivered.
• 10,163 individuals reached through community education programs.
Upcoming Event
To support ongoing operations and advocacy programs, Harmony House will host "The Harmony Haunt," a Halloween fundraiser benefiting children impacted by abuse and neglect in the Ohio Valley.
The event is slated for Oct. 17 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Scottish Rite Cathedral, 83 14th St., Wheeling. Dinner will be served from 7 to 8 p.m.
Tickets are $40 per person for those age 21 and older. The evening will feature ghost tours, live music and dancing, a costume contest, tarot readings, a 50/50 raffle, a basket raffle and food and beverages.
Tickets are available online at https://go.rallyup.com/tickets26.
For more information about Harmony House services and volunteer opportunities, visit www.harmonyhousecac.com or call 304-230-2205 in West Virginia or 740-695-0812 in Ohio.