24 Sep 2017 Annual Festival of Chairs planned Oct. 19 in Conway

The 16th Annual Festival of Chairs will be held 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 19, at the HPER Center at the University of Central Arkansas.

The event helps raise awareness and funding for abused and neglected children in Central Arkansas. It includes live and silent auctions, a “Drawing for Diamonds” raffle and food from local restaurants. For more information, call 501.358.4764.

"This year, Festival of Chairs will be bigger and better than ever! We are doubling the number of tables, sponsorships and hopefully funding that may be raised for the children who need our help in our community," said executive director Tess Fletcher.

"We have the unique opportunity to provide more opportunities than ever for our community to gain ownership and involvement in giving a child a second chance at life,” said development coordinator Autumn Kissire-Hall. “This event is more than one night of auction items, dinner and some old chairs turned around. This event is symbolic of the process for every child that walks through our doors go through. They come to us broken, like the chairs, and they leave with hope, refurbished and beautiful."

Fletcher Smith’s Jewelers donated a diamond ring valued at more than $14,000 to be given away in the raffle. Raffle tickets are $50 and can be purchased at Fletcher Smith’s Jewelers or the Children’s Advocacy Center at 574 Locust Ave. in Downtown Conway.

For more information, call 501.358.4764.