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Adults-only monster mash at the Harmony House’s Monster Bash

T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA Harmony House Children’s Advocacy Center Community Executive Director Jay Jack with one of the 28 baskets that will be up for auction at Saturday’s event.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Although Harmony House Children’s Advocacy Center normally puts children first, on Saturday it’s the adults’ turn.

The center host its annual adults-only Monster Bash at the J.B. Martin Recreation Center on Saturday from 6-10 p.m.

The 13th-annual bash serves as the main source of fundraising for the nonprofit. Tickets are $25 each.

“As far as I know we’re one of if not the only 21-plus Halloween parties in the area,” Harmony House Children’s Advocacy Center Executive Director Jay Jack said. “I think everyone else caters to a younger audience, but we want the adults to get out there and have fun.”

The bash will have axe throwing provided by the Axe Hole from Martins Ferry, a photo booth by Oh Snap Photo Booths, music by D.J. Bobby Bandonee, and alcohol, and soft drinks. Food will be provided by the Wheeling Soup Kitchen. It will also have 28 baskets that will be available to win in an auction. Jack said that the event will also be hosting a “Luck of the Draw Liquor Pool.”

“What it will be is a 52-card deck plus the joker and you pay $20 and you get to pick a card. Then we’ll match that card up with a bottle that has the same card attached to it. If you get the joker card you get to get and pick anyone else’s bottle that you want,” Jack said.

Child and Family Executive Director Angelina Cornelia added that although you don’t have to be in a costume to attend the event it is encouraged so that attendees can compete in the bash’s costume party.

All of Harmony House’s services provided are completely free and use a multidisciplinary approach to respond to child abuse.

“So we have prosecutors, law enforcement, Child Protective Services workers, and other advocates that come together to respond to child abuse and make sure that a family gets connected with their needs and resources,” Cornelia said. “Our whole goal is to try and minimize the number of times that a child has to talk about what happened, through forensic interviews.”

According to Child Welfare Information Gateway, forensic interviewing is a means of gathering information from a victim or witness for use in a legal setting, such as a court hearing. It is a key component of many child protective services investigations. The factsheet provides child welfare professionals with a brief overview of forensic interviewing so they can better understand how such interviews affect their practice with children and families.

Jack added that employees of the Harmony House are required to do extensive training four times a year for an entire week with the West Virginia Prosecuting Attorneys Institute.

He said that the employees will participate in several mock interviews and take tests that they are required to pass.

“The whole process is laid out that every kid is to be asked the same way. That way it’s consistent and our interviews will know how to respond to things a little bit better,” Jack said.

He added that employees are trained to always be neutral when conducting the interviews.

Jack believes that in years past when children get questioned at a police station or Child Protective Services it could be intimidating so the Harmony House constructs a child-friendly environment.

“We cater to the kids, we want the kids to be in charge that day,” He said.

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