The board of directors and staff of the Children’s Center are now busy planning a 20th Anniversary Celebration.  They hope to reach out to everyone who has helped develop, sustain and support the nonprofit organization, as well as those who benefitted from the agency’s services to invite them to the open house.  The event will be on Thursday, April 25 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm, with presentations starting at 5:30 p.m. 

Guests will enjoy birthday cake and other refreshments, as well networking opportunities, tours of the center and displays of children’s artwork and the agency’s history.  Winners of the Children’s Center’s annual children’s art contest will be announced and presented with their prizes. 

The agency was started by Paula Spindle, who saw a need for children in foster care to have an advocate.  In August 1992, Spindle contacted Texas CASA for information and support in how to start up a CASA program in Fannin County.  Over the next few months, she worked quickly to secure the support of the local judge, Child Protective Services and others in the community.  Dr. Churner donated office space behind the Eye Center in Bonham and six community members agreed to serve as the founding board members.  Brenda Sikes, Mike Bankston, Russell Floyd, Dianne Stiff, Sue Jennings and Lena Jones are listed on the agency’s original articles of incorporation as the initial directors, with attorney William Terry drafting up the original legal documents of the agency. 

The agency’s first four volunteers were trained at CASA of Collin County in January 1993.  The first volunteers to be trained in Fannin County were sworn-in by Judge Ray Grisham of the 336th District Court on April 8, 1993, which was the same day CASA accepted its first two cases.  As the program grew, more volunteers were recruited and trained to eventually serve all of the Fannin County children in foster care. 

Over the next several years, the agency added the Christmas Drive and School Supply Drive.  In 1999, the agency added the Children’s Advocacy Center in order to improve the community response to the criminal side of child abuse cases.  Soon after, the agency changed it’s name to be the Fannin County Children’s Center, in order to better reflect the fact that they did more for children than “just” CASA.  In 2003, the agency purchased, renovated and moved in to their current location at 112 West Fifth Street.  In subsequent years, the center add the Rainbow Room and child abuse prevention programs too.  For more information, go to www.fanninccc.org.