Austin360 blogs > Out & About > Archives > 2008 > September > 18 > Entry
Grand Opening of Kozmetsky Center
It’s hard not to be impressed by the Kozmetsky Center for Child Protection. One of the largest public-private projects to aid child protection services took almost a decade to build. It sits on former state school land — once called Vision Village — and it presents a reassuring, child-friendly environment for alleged victims of abuse.
Lisa Wade, Judge Rhonda Hurley, District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg
The buildings are set back on the tree-shaded East Austin campus. Millions of dollars were raised in the private sector to construct this safe environment, which would otherwise fall to law enforcement to provide.
Joanie Bentzin, Ben Bentzin, Sheriff Greg Hamilton
Current board president Ben Bentzin spoke eloquently on the subject before introducing donors, designers and staff, as well as a short, moving video.
Venus Strawn, Mary Herr
We spoke with District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg, who spent years advocating for the project, also briefly with Travis County Sheriff Greg Hamilton (still not too comfortable in front of cameras, but that will come in time) and Judge Rhonda Hurley, who spent a good deal of time with Statesman reporter Chuck Lindell for his recent series on child protection.
Marcia Williams, Michelle Herrera
Also dallied with the aptly named Venus Strawn and her friend, the lustrous Mary Herr, who is organizing the Center’s “Dancing with the Stars” benefit later this fall. She had tried to convince me to participate as a dancer. I refused. But if she goes for an “American Idol” theme …
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