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Soaring temperatures and severe thunderstorm warnings couldn’t stop the Lexington community Saturday.

The Dickerson Children’s Advocacy Center held its first ever Bands 4 Better benefit concert at O’Hara’s on Lexington’s Main Street.

The outdoor music event raised over $6,000 to help the Dickerson CAC continue to provide forensic and therapy services to children who have been abused or who have witnessed trauma.

Recently the DCAC has expanded its services to cover the entire 11th Circuit. They now serve Lexington and Saluda counties and will soon cover McCormick and Edgefield counties.

The 11th Circuit is the largest gap area in South Carolina without a children’s advocacy center, said DCAC Executive Director Carol Yarborough.

Child advocacy work is needed for prosecuting child abuse cases – particularly domestic violence, Yarborough said.

The DCAC serves over 600 children and vulnerable adults annually. That number will grow now that they must cover the entire circuit.

May alone saw 86 cases come through the DCAC. That’s the most in a single month since the center moved to Lexington, said Board President Linda Dickerson.

Just in time, the DCAC has added a full-time medical examiner thanks to a state Victims of Crime Act grant. Having an on-staff examiner will ensure children can be seen immediately instead of having to wait days or weeks for a medical exam.

“The need has grown so much in the last 5 years,” Dickerson said. “It really feels like we’re saving lives.”

Director of Development Erin Smith said everyone at the event donated their time. O’Hara’s donated its outdoor patio and parking lot and provided food at-cost. Jet Lag Jones hauled their own equipment and played through the threat of thunderstorms.

The DCAC thanks all the sponsors of Bands 4 Better and especially the Lexington County community for coming out to support such an important service.

For more information about the DCAC, visit www.dickersoncac.org/ .