7^th Annual Event At Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall Features Display Of Trees To Support Neglected And Abused Children This Holiday Season

A renewed partnership between OVG360 and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children of Atlantic, Cape May, and Camden Counties to host the 7th annual “Deck the Hall- Festival of Trees” at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall has generated $20,000 to benefit locally neglected and abused children this Holiday Season.

In conjunction and with the support of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA), Lite 96.9 WFPG, and Coca-Cola, OVG360 solicited the local community to sponsor 39 custom decorated holiday trees which will be on display to the public in the Boardwalk Hall lobby through the duration of the holiday season. In addition, the public is invited to weekly holiday organ recitals every Wednesday at noon through December 27.

Members of these organizations spent the last week “decking” Boardwalk Hall with their trees which were unveiled at a private kick-off reception with individuals and agencies that help local foster children and families.  Proceeds from the event will be used to help recruit and train more volunteers to serve and advocate for children living in the foster system of Atlantic, Cape May, and Camden counties.

The sponsors of the month long event include: Atlantic & Cape May County Central Labor Council, Bally’s Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Calvi Electric Company, Carpenters Local 255, Concord Engineering, Ducktown Tavern & Liquors, Environmental Design Inc., Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, Herman Goldner Company, Historic Organ Restoration Committee, Hughes Electric Company, IBEW Local 351, Island Therapy, LLC., IUPAT District Council 711, Local 322 Plumbers & Pipefitters, Thomas Company, Inc., Visit Atlantic City, Vista Convention Services, ACUA- Atlantic County Utilities Authority, Falasca Mechanical, 11^th Floor Creative Group, Atlantic City PBA #24, Brock Industrial Services, Golden Nugget,  IATSE Local 77, IHTV-Inlet Hydrangea Trail Volunteers Sponsored by Harry Hurley Charity Foundation, Local 68 Operating Engineers, KHS&S Contractors,  Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC),  RSP Command, Smart City Networks, Synergy Electrical Sales, and T.N. Ward Company.

CASA for Children recruits, trains, and supports citizen-volunteers who advocate for children in the community and ensures that a well-trained independent volunteer is able to voice timely and objective recommendations to the Family Court on behalf of a child. A child with a CASA volunteer is:

- Twice as likely to be adopted, than to linger in long-term foster care

- Half as likely to re-enter the foster care system

- More likely to have a plan for finding a permanent home

- More likely to have better educational achievement

In Atlantic, Cape May and Camden Counties last fiscal year, 398 children had a CASA volunteer, a trusted adult who will stick with them until their case is resolved.  Hundreds of children in these counties are still in need of a volunteer.

“Once again, we are absolutely humbled by the support of our partners and local business community who contributed to this year’s event,” said OVG360’s Jim McDonald, General Manager of Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall.   “OVG360 is dedicated to giving back to our local community, we are proud to help support the critical services CASA provides to children in our region and continuing this tradition for years to come.”

To date, the annual ‘Deck the Hall- Festival of Trees’ event has generated $93,000 for local community organizations.  The event has generated $87,000 total for CASA and in 2014 $6,000 was raised for the Community FoodBank of New Jersey Southern Branch to support those in need.

Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall and the Atlantic City Convention Center are operated by OVG360 and owned and funded by the CRDA.

About OVG360: OVG360, a division of Oak View Group, is a full-service venue management and hospitality company that helps client-partners reimagine the sports, live entertainment, and convention industries for the betterment of the venue, employees, artists, athletes, and surrounding communities. With a portfolio of more than 200 client-partners spanning arenas, stadiums, convention centers, performing arts centers, cultural institutions, and state fairs around the globe, OVG360 provides a set of services, resources and expertise designed to elevate every aspect of business that matters to venue operators. Service-oriented and driven by social responsibility, OVG360 helps facilities drive value through excellence and innovation in food services, booking and content development, sustainable operations, public health and public safety and more.

About the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA): The only agency of its kind nationwide, the CRDA has used Atlantic City casino reinvestments as a catalyst for meaningful, positive improvement in the lives of New Jersey residents since 1984. Under the 2011 Tourism District Act, the Authority's mission evolved from statewide projects to becoming the state's key economic development agency for Atlantic City. CRDA's expanded responsibilities now include land use regulation, tourism marketing and clean and safe initiatives. The CRDA also oversees Historic Boardwalk Hall (the leading entertainment venue of its size in the country) and the Atlantic City Convention Center. In total, CRDA has invested nearly $2 billion in more than 400 projects statewide, of which $1.8 billion has been invested in Atlantic City, spurring business investments and expansions, and creating permanent jobs in the process. For more information about CRDA and our projects, visit www.njcrda.com. Follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/njcrda, and Twitter at www.twitter.com/njcrda.