Illuminating the Path to Healing
Thursday, September 3, 2026
5:00 – 8:00 PM
Gering Civic Center
Join us for an evening dedicated to illuminating the path to healing for children and families impacted by abuse and neglect. Through advocacy, support, and compassionate care, CAPstone Child Advocacy Center and CASA help children find safety, hope, and a brighter future.
Featuring guest speaker Kevin McNeil, dinner, fellowship, and inspiring stories of impact, Light of Hope brings our community together to shine a light on the healing journey and the vital role each of us plays in it.
Purchase tickets: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/light-of-hope–2026-2
Why We Gather
Healing does not happen alone.
Every child who walks through the doors of CAPstone and every child served by a CASA volunteer deserves a caring community standing beside them. Light of Hope celebrates the progress made possible through that support while raising funds to ensure these critical services remain available for local children and families.
This year’s theme, “Illuminating the Path to Healing,” reflects the courage of the children we serve and the commitment of the advocates, caregivers, professionals, and community members who help light the way forward.
Featured Guest Speaker: Kevin McNeil
We are honored to welcome Kevin McNeil as our 2026 Light of Hope guest speaker. His message of hope, resilience, and the power of community aligns with our mission and this year’s theme, reminding us that healing is possible when people come together to support one another.
Kevin McNeil is a Transformational Speaker, Victim Advocate, author, and
Founder/CEO of Kevin D. McNeil Consulting and the non-profit, The Twe12ve Project, Inc.
These organizations serve as a bridge to educate the world on the effects of trauma and
abuse upon individuals, families, and communities. Kevin is a renowned speaker who
shares lessons from his own life experiences that transform, motivate, and inspire an
individual’s mindset and potential.
After 20 years of service, Kevin retired from the DeKalb County Police Department of
Georgia. He served eight years as a Police Officer, and twelve years as a Special Victims Unit
Detective. His training and attention to detail helped him solve several high-profile serial
rape cases in the Atlanta area. Kevin’s background coupled with his extensive research on
trauma and the effects of abuse, defines and differentiates his message. He travels
internationally speaking on topics relevant to Child Advocacy Centers, Police Departments,
Department of Family and Children Services, District Attorney’s Offices, athletic
organizations, schools and universities, parents, and foster parents, as well as community
members. Kevin has appeared on numerous radio and television shows, including TV One’s
crime investigative series ‘Celebrity Crime Files, Fatal Attraction and For My Man;’ and has
been a guest on Jim Clemente’s podcast ‘Best Case, Worst Case,’ along with being featured
in several magazine articles.
Kevin has spoken at numerous Child Advocacy Centers across the United States. He has
spoken at events sponsored by Darkness to Light, as well as being featured in the 2023
Darkness to Light Stewards of Children training video. He has delivered a keynote
presentation and workshop for the Beau Biden Foundation National Conference to Protect
America’s Children, International Child Symposium on Child Abuse in Huntsville, Alabama;
he’s delivered a plenary presentation and workshops at the San Diego International
Conference on Child and Family Maltreatment in San Diego, California; and in 2019, he
traveled to Bermuda to help train law enforcement surrounding child abuse and child sexual
assault.
Kevin’s mission is to “create communities where abuse and trauma survivors HEAL,
THRIVE, and SUCCEED.”
Your Ticket Includes
Enjoy a delicious catered dinner while connecting with others who share a commitment to helping children heal and thrive.
Dinner Menu:
Hand Carved Crown Roast
Potato Medley
Vegetable
Dinner Roll
Cash bar available.
Unable to attend, but still want to donate?
✉️ Checks can be mailed to: Light of Hope at 900 P Street Gering, NE 69341
💙 Donate online through Zeffy, Venmo or Paypal!
