The Lighthouse Child Advocacy Center

08/09/2026

🎉 Happy Birthday to our Executive Director, Susie Scharf! 🎉

Today we celebrate your leadership, compassion, and dedication to the children and families we serve. Thank you for all you do to make The Lighthouse Child Advocacy Center a place of hope, healing, and advocacy.

We hope you have a wonderful birthday filled with joy and celebration! 💙🎂

08/07/2026

The Tyler County Back to School Fair is always a great event! We were glad to participate again this year.

08/07/2026

We are glad to be a part of community events such as the Back to School Bash! It was a great event to get kids and families ready for the school year.

08/06/2026

🏆 Thank You for Your Support! 🏆

We are incredibly honored to be named the Readers' Choice Non-Profit Organization! 💙

This recognition means so much to all of us at The Lighthouse Child Advocacy Center because it comes from the people in our community. Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote for us and who continues to support our mission of providing hope, healing, and justice for children and families.

Your support allows us to continue making a difference in the lives of children throughout our communities. We share this honor with our dedicated staff, our multidisciplinary partners, our generous donors, and every person who believes in protecting children.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your trust, your encouragement, and your vote. We are grateful to serve this community every day. 💙

08/06/2026

We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the Back to School Bash on Thursday from 11-2pm!

Many thanks to our generous sponsors at EQT Corporation;the Holy Name Society of St. Vincent DePaul Church in New Martinsville; and Deez Neez 😇
Back to School Splash Bash at the Lewis Wetzel Family Center & Pool in New Martinsville from 11:00-2:00.

08/03/2026

Come see us at the Back to School Fair Aug 4th from 4-7pm at Sistersville Elementary School!

🎉 TYLER COUNTY STUDENTS—FROM PRESCHOOL TO HIGH SCHOOL… THIS NIGHT IS FOR YOU! 🎉

Whether you’re just starting Preschool or getting ready for your Senior Year, come join us THIS TUESDAY, August 4th (4-7 pm) at Sistersville Elementary School for an evening of free fun before school begins!

🎈 Inflatables & Dunk Tank
🍨FREE Food & FREE Hershey’s Ice Cream Sundae Cups.
🤝 Over 30 Community Vendors giving out FREE Hygiene Items & Other Helpful Back-to-School Essentials
✂️ FREE Haircuts • FREE Vision Screenings • FREE Dental Screenings
🎁 Giveaways & Door Prizes

🚌 Need a ride? Free transportation begins at 3:30 p.m. with pickups every 30 minutes. The last pickup is at 6:00 p.m. Be sure to check the transportation schedule for pickup locations below.

Come enjoy the fun and kick off the new school year with us! 😊

07/15/2026

Free Community event for National Night Out on Aug 4th from 5-8pm

07/10/2026

As National Forensic Interviewer Week ends, our staff wanted to share why they appreciate our Forensic Interviewers.

Here is a message from our Executive Director Susie Scharf.
"Although my role today is primarily administrative as Executive Director, I had the privilege of serving as a Forensic Interviewer for many years. It was one of the greatest honors of my career to sit beside children, earn their trust, and help give them a safe voice during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

That experience gave me a profound appreciation for the skill, compassion, and dedication required of every forensic interviewer. This National Forensic Interviewer Week, I want to thank our incredible team for the work they do every day. Your patience, professionalism, and unwavering commitment make a lasting difference in the lives of children and families. It is truly an honor to support the work you do."

*child actor depicted in photo*

07/08/2026

💙 What Does a Forensic Interviewer Do? 💙

At a Child Advocacy Center, a Forensic Interviewer plays a vital role in helping children who may have experienced maltreatment. Kelsey Loy and Becky Bailey serve as our Forensic Interviewers at The Lighthouse CAC since being trained in 2022.

A Forensic Interviewer is specially trained to talk with children in a safe, neutral, and child-friendly environment. Using research-based interviewing techniques, they gather information in a way that is developmentally appropriate and designed to minimize trauma. Their goal is to allow children the opportunity to share their experiences without leading or influencing their responses.

These interviews help reduce the number of times a child has to tell their story by providing one recorded interview that can be shared with law enforcement, child protective services, prosecutors, and other members of the multidisciplinary team.

At The Lighthouse Child Advocacy Center, we're grateful for the dedication of our Forensic Interviewers, who help children find their voice while supporting the path toward healing and justice. 💙