GRAND JUNCTION — A concert at Mesa State College Thursday will benefit the Western Slope Center for Children, an organization that provides services to child sexual-abuse victims in a safe, child-friendly environment.

The MSC Wind Symphony and Jazz Ensemble’s “Rhapsody in Blue” and “All that Jazz” concert will benefit the nonprofit center, which depends solely on grants, donations and foundations.

Prior to the center’s existence 10 years ago, children who were sexually abused were examined at hospital emergency rooms and were forced to repeat their stories often to different agencies.

Now, agencies involved in assault investigations come to the center, where interviews are usually conducted once, are recorded and used as court evidence.

When necessary, a specially trained nurse conducts sexual assault exams in a warm, child-friendly room with stuffed animals and clean, new clothing for the children.

The center also educates family members and victims about available professionals and resources that can help the entire family to heal.

In 2007, 319 interviews of abused children were conducted at the Grand Junction center — 229 girls and 90 boys.

In 61 of the cases, the child was abused by a parent or stepparent; in 15 cases, the abuse was performed by a parent’s boyfriend or girlfriend; another relative abused the child in 79 cases; another known person was the abuser in 143 of the cases; in eight of the instances, the children were abused by strangers; and on 16 occasions the abusers were unknown.

Thursday’s benefit concert will feature pianist Arthur Houle on “Rhapsody in Blue,” and Anthony Olson and John Salmon will perform “Grand Tarantelle” by Louis Moreau Gottschalk, as well as several numbers with the Jazz Ensemble. The Wind Symphony will also perform Leonard Bernstein’s “Overture to Candise” and Frank Ticheli’s “Nitro.”

All ticket sales proceeds will directly benefit Western Slope Center for Children.