January 23, 2007

Dear Friends,

            Hello all! Happy New YearJ It has been awhile since the last newsletter and there have been a lot of exciting things occurring that I want to make sure you know about.

Just an important note: I have started a new job and I will no longer be in an office all day so it may take a few days for me to respond to your emails and phone calls. For the best response please call my cell phone (this is the only phone number to get to me, the old one is for my old office that someone else is in now) 580-583-5165. The email address to email is silentwitness2010@gmail.com. I will be there to help you with anything that you need to set up anything you need! Just please be patient with me and I will get back to youJ

            We have some exciting news: Janet Hagberg a founder of Silent Witness will be on the following Radio Show to talk about the Silent Witness Project. Please see the following information for more details.

            The Power of One: What's Your Mission?

Click here to listen to the live streaming Internet radio at 1 PM PST, 3 PM CST, or 4 PM EST this Wednesday, January 17. You can also call in to 1-866-472-5788 during the live show with your questions and insights. Missed the show? ... Download the archived show from the same link anytime! Bookmark the show and download the desktop icon HERE

For a sneak peek at the exciting show on Wednesday, January 17 at 1 PM PST, 3 PM CST, and 4 PM ET, go to Click here....

The Power of One: What's Your Mission? with host Debra Berg is a different king of radio show that comes to your desktop each Wednesday. It gives you the courage to surmount even your toughest challenges. And it provides perspective and real solutions to problems that have been around for far too long. Debra spotlights real everyday heroes on a power mission who don't give up!

Each triumphed in a personal quest to find a solution that ultimately helped others.

Tune in to gain inspiration from these amazing but humble social inventors who had the courage to rise above a personal challenge and are helping others do the same.

FEATURED THIS WEEK... What motivates a domestic abuse survivor to want to help others survive? Judith House felt inadequate but compelled to do something. Today, Fresh Start of Indiana, that began in Judith's home a few years ago, now teaches victims from the city to the rural areas throughout Indiana how to escape their abusers and achieve financial and emotional independence.

Debra also interviews Janet Hagberg, founder of the Silent Witness National Initiative, a highly successful domestic awareness effort. She will reveal her "tipping point" moment when she decided to drop everything and co-launch a 50-state all-volunteer army to stop the murders resulting from domestic violence.

Listen in as Debra interviews these two courageous power heroes who are now mentors for thousands across America .

It's your "bump from the soundbite slump" and it's news that's good for the heart and mind.

Tune in! Learn how you have the power to make an important difference!

Power of One Publishing

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email: debra@powerone.org

Debra Berg press kit http://powerone.presskit247.com

    I would love for you to send me updates on where you are displaying the silhouettes and other ways you are making a difference and ending domestic homicide! I know there are going to be lots of displays throughout the month of October!! Please tell me about them!! Please email me any stories or press releases that you have! I love to add them to the newsletter! Silentwitness2010@gmail.com

Here are some reminders of ways that you can help Silent Witness!

TO ALL YOU EBAY USERS!

1. eBay Giving Works is the dedicated program for charity listings on eBay, enabling you to list items on eBay and donate part or all of the final sale price to your favorite nonprofit organizations. Unique search and listing features allow you to build your business while supporting causes important to you. Since 2000, more than $54 million has been raised for charity from listings sold on eBay worldwide. The minimum item price is $5.   For detailed information on how to sell your item go  to http://givingworks.ebay.com/sell/    Select Silent Witness as your nonprofit organization.

PLEASE HELP US WITH THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT INFORMATION!!

2. We need to make a new database with the names of the women you are using in your exhibits. PLEASE help us with this, we would really appreciate it. I have attached a questionnaire about your exhibit. We would like to make a database so that when people would like to start an exhibit we already have the names of people to use and if the state coordinators change we will have a central location for the database. We would also love to be able to tell family members when they talk to us if their names are being used and where they are used. Thank you in advanced for you help. We really appreciate it!!

3. There is new and easy way to raise money for Silent Witness just by searching the Internet with Goodsearch.com.

It's simple. You use GoodSearch.com like any other search engine — the site is powered by Yahoo! — but each time you do, money is generated for Silent Witness.

Last year, search engines generated close to $6 billion in revenue from advertisers. With GoodSearch part of this advertising revenue will now be directed to Silent Witness.

We hope that not only will you use GoodSearch as your main search engine from here on out, but will also pass this message on to your friends and family. The more people who use this, the more money will go to Silent Witness.

SPOTLIGHT:

This is a new section to highlight people all over the world who are doing an amazing job with the Silent Witness Organization. This time I would like talk about Carolyn Arnston from Oregon. She is doing a wonderful job as the state coordinator. She is finding exhibits all across the state and connecting them to the national organization and together within the state. She is asking them to fill out role call so that we know what women’s stories are being used and when the exhibits are being used. It is wonderful! Her goal is to have an exhibit for each county in the state and to make sure they are used a lot. She is doing a great job and I am excited to hear about all of the exhibits in the state of Oregon. The state is doing a wonderful job getting the word out and educating people all over the state.

I would like to welcome our new newsletter subscribers:

Audrey	Allen	Boyd	WI
Admin	Cobra	Bend	OR
Karen	Grabinsky	Abbotsford	BC
Elizabeth	Angelle	Lafayette	LA
Rhonda	Stubbs	Wellsburg	WV
BJ	Osterman	New Orleans	LA
Maria	Martin	Billings	MT
Debbie	Owens	Orville	CA
Jan	Wagner	Little River	SC
Stephanie	Whitehead	Macon	GA
Leslie	Sutherland	Welsh	LA
Christine	Stone	Pittsburgh	PA
Sara	Benning
Mike	Sexton	Charlotte	NC
Michell	Tamburini	bloomington	Il
Christina	Corter	Ontario	NY
Amy	Maxwell	Providence	RI
LuAnn	Elliot	Columbia	MO
Jody	Heitman	Tucson	AZ
Marlene	Rivers	Madison	TN
Gina	Martino	Danbury	CT
Kandice	Olinger	Las Cruces	MN
Stella	Butler		OR
Michele	Boone	Green Cove Springs	FL
Jaima	Cruz-Figueroa	Rochester	ny
Maria	Mendes	Pawtucket	RI
Myra	Ferell	Flagstaff	AZ
Billy	Sobczyk
Ginger	Riddle	Leavenworth	KS
Marilyn	Shelton	Ellsworth	SD
Kathryn	Ramsey
Dawn	Mogren	York	PA
Nancy	Castro	Chicago	IL
Tyler	Sherrill	Kannoplis	NC
Shilo	Comeau	martin	SD
Sherry	Ramdath	Homestead	FL
Kisha	Bowser	Virginia Beach	VA
Jean	Kliemann	Ferndale	MI
Monica	Ervin
Heather	Thompson	Baltimore	MD
Angela	Smith	Jonesboro	AR
Janet	Hyvare	Coon Rapids	MN
Rita	Smith	Collegeville	PA
Vikie	Stordahl	Coon Rapids	MN
Kathleen	Overman-Jeske	Greensboro	NC
Betsy	Hoag
Brenda	McLelland	Ingersol	On
Mary	Finkle	Utica	NY

PLEASE HELP WE NEED COORDINATORS FOR THE FOLLOWING STATES:

Arizona Hawaii Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky	Nevada New Mexico Ohio Utah Vermont Wisconsin

 

We now have an official job description:

The state coordinator keeps track of who in the state have exhibits. Some coordinators have regular correspondence, usually by email, with the groups. They are the contact person for someone who would like to start a new exhibit. They share the shield stories they already have in order to help people not repeat the work that was already done. Some may recruit new SW exhibits as well. Some may coordinate the donating and borrowing of an exhibit for people to use across the state. Some sponsor an event in October for everyone to come to, but others just publicize the events of others. They also keep in touch with us by email or phone to let us know what is happening, keep us up on emerging issues, ask for advice or other things they needed. This may take two to three hours a week in email correspondence. During busier times it may be up to four or five hours.

NEWS FROM THE STATES and COUNTRIES:

Arkansas:

We have some great news from Little Rock Arkansas! They have created a silhouette for a woman in a wheelchair.

E mail from Trish Stewart, Victim Witness Assistance Program Coordinator, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, NJ.
To Lesley Frost, NJ Silent Witness Coordinator

Lesley, I asked Michelle to give me your home address so that I could formally thank you for the outstanding Victims’ Vigil held on Sunday, October 15, 2006.  Michelle did in fact send me your home address which I must have deleted in error.  I apologize for using the quick and less formal method of saying thanks to you and to all who participated in presenting this poignant program which honored those victims of domestic violence in its’ most brutal and horrific form.  The victim families were so deeply moved by the entire presentation.  The words of the speakers in the church and the silent walk to the Green held such meaning for them.  The silhouettes of their loved ones were viewed with a reverence and respect and love that is difficult to put into words.  You were able to make those wooden figures come to life in the minds and hearts of the people who loved and respected them.  The final touch of tribute was captured in the beautiful wraps, shawls and scarves which were presented to some of the family members.  When I wrapped the shawl around the shoulders of one of the victim survivors she began to cry and said that she felt as though we had wrapped the loving arms of her deceased sister around her one more time.  At that moment another woman came over and I placed a knitted wrap around her shoulders as well in memory of her sister who was murdered by her husband.  The two women looked into each others eyes and realized that they shared a bond that others would not be able to understand.  The two women then just held on to each other and cried with what appeared to be tears of healing.
There were several family members present who expressed desires to also receive the knitted wraps and/or scarves.  I remember that you mentioned that you would be able to procure more because members all over the country  knit these beautiful items.  The wraps which sort of fit like a pashmina seem to be very popular.  The women who wanted wraps but did not receive them are:  Kathy Fichtner (Jean Glennon), Lisa Abequa (Nihil Abequa), two sisters and one niece of (Liliana Heredia), and Nisime Dakur’s daughter (Nihil Abequa).  The men who would be so pleased to receive scarves are:  Patrick Glennon (Jean Glennon), Connor & Steven Davenport (Deborah Davenport Schroeder), three brothers of (Liliana Heredia) and Sami Abequa (Nihil Abequa).  I was astounded by the positive reaction of the family members to the scarves and the wraps.   It appeared as though they felt like the warmth and touch of their loved ones was woven into the fiber of the garment.  I will be honored to make a personal donation to any organization of your choice in honor of the generosity shown to these family members.
I hope that this Vigil will become a yearly event because it brought comfort to the families.  It made the families realize that their losses were felt by all decent people and that the laws and the courts will not rest until those individuals who are responsible for taking the lives of innocent women are brought to justice.  Wishing you continued energy, enthusiasm and good health as you pursue your never ending mission of bringing justice and fairness to women.  Peace, Trish

Oklahoma:

Sherry from Sheila’s Shawls

"In the rhythm of the needles, there is music for the soul."

 Hope Blossoms & Healing Shawls

Who isn’t comforted and warmed by a handmade gift?  And if you’re a victim of family violence or abuse, the gift is even more meaningful. The social stigma attached to being a victim is so great that victims often suffer alone. Hope Blossoms and Healing Shawls send a caring and validating message to those suffering family violence – “I believe you, you are not alone, and the abuse is not your fault.”

If you and your neighborhood friends, faith or other membership group can hold a crochet hook or knitting needles, then you can learn to create a Hope Blossom for a woman who needs your support while finding her way to safety and peace.

Women who are called to testify in Court often re-experience the abuse on the witness stand as they are forced to review and speak about traumatizing violent events. A woman can hold a Hope Blossom in her hand to bring calm and strength when she needs it most. 

Other friends and advocates can knit or crochet a healing shawl or scarf to be draped over a woman’s shoulders by a chaplain or an advocate/attorney or other law enforcement partners at the Ann Patterson Dooley Family Safety Center, at Domestic Violence Intervention Services, Call Rape, and other agencies that serve victims of violent family crime, or at medical emergency rooms where personal injuries are being treated. Your group can make the difference of a lifetime to a traumatized woman or child in need of community friendship and support. 

Hope Blossom and Healing Shawl projects achieve multiple objectives:

• For you the volunteer

1.  Provides the possibility for new friendships.

2.  Allows you to serve close to home.

3.  Provides flexibility for your volunteer service.

4.  Learn new skills.

5.  Become more informed about Tulsa social service providers and community needs.

6.  Relieves isolation that often leads to depression and other health problems.

• For your gift recipient

1.   Helps to relieve isolation from the community.

2.   Creates a feeling of connection to others.

3.   Relieves feelings of loneliness.

4.   The gift can provide “comfort-on-call” when it is wanted or needed.

• For your neighborhood or group

1.  Brings people and neighbors together for a mutual purpose.

2.  Encourages people and group members to look out for one another.

3.  Reflects the community spirit of a neighborhood group- this is a marketing point for home sellers and buyers in your neighborhood.

4.  Your church or other member group service to support safe families is a magnet for like-minded people looking for a service or faith group to join.

• For member organizations, social service providers, and communities

1.   Can educate citizens about issues impacting Green Country families when members or a religious group, neighbors, and the community are informed of service activity to benefit others in need.

2.   Leads to dialogue between citizens and agency representatives in regard to perceived community needs.

3.   Potential to involve people not currently involved in a public service effort or affiliated with a faith institution.

Oregon:
From Carolyn Arntson

The first two photos (attached) are from the Hillsboro Oregon DV event.  It was amazing.  Probably 300 people.  Spanish and English speakers.  Booths.  Fun times.  Silent Witnesses!

 

The next image is from the Raphael House DV Summit in the Pioneer Square in downtown Portland.  Wonderful music brought hundreds to the square where there were more than a dozen other "partners" who serve the dv needs of clients.  The silent witnesses were all over the huge square.  Most of the tv stations covered.

 

Texas:

Patti Perez

  Pictures from the exhibit at the Capitol

World NEWS:

From the CAPEV update:

UPCOMING EVENT -- MOBILIZING THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY TO END DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: A CONTRACT FOR CHANGE

The Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community is hosting Mobilizing the African American Community to End Domestic Violence: A Contract for Change at the Hyatt Regency Long Beach Hotel in Long Beach, CA, March 19 - 20, 2007. Participants will examine successful mobilization efforts focused on various aspects of domestic violence among African Americans and explore the early days of mainstream domestic violence and civil rights movements as successful models that produced societal change. For more information, please visit www.dvinstitute.org/conferences/2007.htm. 

From Lois Herman:

Pictures from Romania :

Pictures from Czech Republic:

From Lois Herman

I am in Prague for a UN Conference. Tomorrow, on the International Day on Violence Against Women, I will be a part of the Silent Witness Exhibit in the center of Prague, and will give a speech on Silent Witness.

There are stars whose radiance is visible on earth
       Though they have long been extinct.
   There are people whose brilliance continues to light the worldl
       Though they are no longer among the living.
   These lights are particularly bright when the night is dark.
       They light the way for mankind."
                   Hannah Senesh 1921-1944

Sincerely, Cassie Douglas

Silentwitness2010@gmail.com (580) 583-5165