Mark Your Calendars! Ready, Set, Walk! Join Us at SafeWalk on · Mark your calendars and get your...
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Quarterly Newsletter - Fall Edition - September 2019 Mark Your Calendars! ANNUAL MEETING Wed, November 20th 6:30 p.m. Ethan Allen Hotel Danbury, CT All members of the Women's Center are invited to attend. RSVP to [email protected] Become a member now! ****** "HEARTS OF HOPE" Annual Breakfast Wednesday, February 5th Honoring Felicia Paduano Ready, Set, Walk! Join Us at SafeWalk on October 6th! Sunday, October 6th, 8:30am-10:30am DANBURY FAIR MALL 7 Backus Avenue, Danbury, CT Mark your calendars and get your teams geared up for this year's annual SafeWalk! SafeWalk honors all of our neighbors and friends who have been/are affected by domestic or intimate partner violence. For the first time this year, we are joining up with other domestic violence organizations in Connecticut under the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence on state-wide walks dedicated to recognizing and breaking the cycle of abuse. This year there is no registration fee. We ask instead that attendees set a fundraising goal. Click here to start a fundraising page for a team or individual. If you would prefer to do a virtual walk at the time and location of your choice (or even hop on a treadmill!), create a fundraising page and just send us a picture from your walk at #SafeWalk2019. Anyone raising more than $500 individually (including individually as part of a larger team) will be entered into a raffle with great prizes such as a $100 iTunes gift card. SafeWalk is our premier event to unite the community in our
Transcript of Mark Your Calendars! Ready, Set, Walk! Join Us at SafeWalk on · Mark your calendars and get your...
Quarterly Newsletter - Fall Edition - September 2019
Mark Your Calendars!
ANNUAL MEETINGWed, November 20th
6:30 p.m.
Ethan Allen HotelDanbury, CT
All members of the Women'sCenter are invited to attend.
RSVP to [email protected]
Become a member now!
******
"HEARTS OF HOPE"Annual Breakfast
Wednesday, February 5th
Honoring Felicia Paduano
Ready, Set, Walk! Join Us at SafeWalk onOctober 6th!
Sunday, October 6th, 8:30am-10:30amDANBURY FAIR MALL7 Backus Avenue, Danbury, CT
Mark your calendars and get your teams geared up for thisyear's annual SafeWalk! SafeWalk honors all of our neighborsand friends who have been/are affected by domestic orintimate partner violence. For the first time this year, we arejoining up with other domestic violence organizations inConnecticut under the Connecticut Coalition Against DomesticViolence on state-wide walks dedicated to recognizing andbreaking the cycle of abuse. This year there is no registration fee. We ask instead thatattendees set a fundraising goal. Click here to start afundraising page for a team or individual.
If you would prefer to do a virtual walk at the time and locationof your choice (or even hop on a treadmill!), create afundraising page and just send us a picture from your walk at#SafeWalk2019.
Anyone raising more than $500 individually (includingindividually as part of a larger team) will be entered into a rafflewith great prizes such as a $100 iTunes gift card.
SafeWalk is our premier event to unite the community in our
7:30 a.m.Fox Hill Inn
Brookfield, CT
Advance ticket purchaseavailable for members for this
sell out event.
******
"AN EVENING TOGETHER"Annual Dinner
Friday, April 3rd
Celebrating Glori Norwitt
6:00 p.m.Amber Room Colonnade
Danbury, CT
Upcoming Events
5K Cops andRobbers!
80 East Ridge Road
Ridgefield Playhouse ParkingLot
Ridgefield, CT 06877
Can you outrun the police? TheRidgefield Police Benevolent
Association hosts this fun andunique 5k that benefits the
Women's Center.
The runners all get a head start,then the Ridgefield Police
Officers "give chase!" The
mission to end domestic violence while raising essential fundsto support our free programs and services. In addition to thewalk, the event will feature entertainment, refreshments andactivities for all ages.
It's not too late to become a sponsor for this year's walk!Please contact Linda Cummins, Special Events Manager at(203) 731-5200, ext. 232 or [email protected] to learn moreabout our SafeWalk sponsorship opportunities.
We'd like to thank our current list ofsponsors:
Addessi Jewelers, Laura & Irv Becker,Broken Symmetry Gastro Brewery,Elizabeth G. Butler Angel Foundation,Candlewood Valley Pediatrics, LoriBerisford & Elaine Cox, Craig's FineJewelry, Danbury Surgical Center, Anita &Nicholas Donofrio, Fairfield County Bank,Liz and Steven Goldstone, KathyGraham, Greens at Cannondale, J.Lawrence Downtown, Jesse Lee MemorialUnited Methodist Church, Law Offices ofLawrence M. Riefberg, LLC, John Katz,Linde, Dewey & Paul McNamara, M&TBank, Norwitt Family, Pamby Motors,Pandora Danbury, Joanne & JohnPatrick, Physicians for Women, ReillyLaw Firm, LLC, Ridgefield Hardware,
Ridgefield Lions Club, Ridgefield Rotary, Ridgefield SupplyCompany, Savings Bank of Danbury, Taylor-ZemoFoundation, Inc., UPS Store, Rich and Carol Vazzana, and theWomen's Club of Danbury/New Fairfield.
And our Media Sponsor -- Macaroni Kid.
From the President's Desk The past several months have been busy aswe closed out the fiscal year and prepared forthe start of this new one. Statisticalcompilation, preparation of year-end andannual reports, and completion of contractpackages were just a few of the manyactivities performed. The end of each fiscalyear is also the time when we assess ourorganization's performance on every level anddetermine what, if any changes are needed to ensure wecontinue to operate in a productive and effective manner. Several organizational changes have taken place and you willbe seeing some new faces in the coming weeks and months.We have eliminated the Chief Operating Officer position infavor of two positions. I am pleased to announce that LynnNichols, a 13-year tenured member of our team has beenpromoted to the role of Director of Victim Services, and RaynaHavelock, with 10 years tenure has been promoted to ProgramManager of Counseling and Advocacy. Some new staff
sponsor of this event will give anextra $1 per runner for every
runner that the officerscollectively "catch" (pass)!
Runners receive a souvenir techtee shirt (women's fit available).
Learn more about the event andsign up here.
******
"I Am Ok" Workshop
6-week workshop on Self-Esteem and Anxiety
Management
Starts Monday, September 23, 2019
6:30pm - 8:30pmWomen's Center
8 West Street entrance
Registration is required andspace is limited. Please call(203) 731-5200 ext. 258 or
register via email [email protected]
******
We're Hiring Prevention Educators!
members will also be joining our team as final decisions aremade on candidates seeking to fill open positions based onthese and other changes. The demand for our services remains high, not only from thosedirectly affected by domestic and sexual violence, but also byso many others triggered by the fact that our issues are in theheadlines on a daily basis. It is at times like this that we areeven more thankful of our many friends and supporters -people like YOU - who help us to be there for all who turn to usfor help, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Please know that the support you can and do provide goes along way in making a difference in the lives of our neighborsand sustains us in our mission of "working to end the violence."
I look forward to seeing you all at our annual SafeWalk onSunday, October 6th inside the Danbury Fair Mall!
With gratitude and peace,
Pat Zachman President & CEO
October is Domestic Violence AwarenessMonth!
We have started planning our activities for DVAM in October.Please come join us at the following events.
The Women's Center is currentlyseeking a part-time PreventionEducator to educate and informthe community about issues of
interpersonal and sexualviolence, as well as providing thetools and resources needed todeal with these issues. We are
particularly interested incandidates who have experienceworking with and engaging youth.Experience is also preferred, but
not mandatory.
If you or someone you know isinterested in the position, pleasesee the required qualifications
posted on the "CareerOpportunities" page of our
website here, then send yourresume and cover letter to our
Director of Administration &Human Resources at
[email protected] or fax to (203) 731-5207.
******
Quick Links...
Our WebsiteServicesGet InvolvedMore About Us
Make a Donation
Every dollar counts! Your generosity is crucial aswe work to end the violence!
DONATE NOW
Remember to UseAmazonSmile
Amazon donates 0.5% of theprice of your eligible
AmazonSmile purchases whenyou sign up and choose theWomen's Center as yourcharitable organization.
Support the Women's Center bystarting your shopping at
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Did You Know?
1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 menexperience severe physical
abuse from an intimate partner intheir lifetimes.
Staff Announcements
Lynn Nichols, Director of Victim Services
Congratulations to Lynn Nicholswho was recently promoted to
Director of Victim Services. Lynnjoined the Women's Center in
2006 as a Court Advocate,working closely with domesticviolence and sexual assaultvictims at Danbury Superior
Court. As an advocate, she hashelped thousands of crime
victims and facilitated trainingsfor Connecticut Counseling
Association, National Associationof Social Workers, law
enforcement, state universities,and local community
organizations. Lynn has alsocontributed to Connecticut's Dual
Arrest Task Force, DomesticViolence Prosecutor Round
Table meetings, and is active inadvancing legislation that directly
affects sexual assault anddomestic violence victims. In
addition to leading the Center'sdirect service team, Lynn is a
forensic interviewer, a domesticviolence and sexual assault
crisis counselor, the LethalityAssessment Program
Coordinator for Greater Danbury,and is qualified by the State ofConnecticut as an expert in thefield. Lynn holds a Bachelor of
Science in Justice and LawAdministration and a Master ofScience in Applied Psychology.
Rayna Havelock, Manager of Counseling
and Advocacy
Rayna Havelock was recentlypromoted to the new position of
Manager of Counseling andAdvocacy. Rayna's passion forworking with domestic violence
and sexual assault victims beganin 2010 when she served as aWomen's Center direct servicevolunteer responding to crisis
calls. She was hired in 2013 as a
September #Brewback at Broken Symmetry On the first Wednesday of every month, Broken SymmetryGastro Brewery located in Bethel donates 10% of its sales to acharity. On September 4th, the Women's Center was selectedas the charity.
Thank you Broken Symmetry! We appreciate your support!It was fun!!
Host a Third Party Fundraiser Event
Campus Counselor, laterassuming the leadership role ofDirector of Campus Counseling& Advocacy. During her time on
campus, she worked closely withboth students and staff at
Western Connecticut StateUniversity by providing
counseling, advocacy andprevention education. Prior to her
time at the Women's Center,Rayna owned a kitchen and bath
design business for 10 yearsbefore changing her career pathto work with people impacted bytrauma. Since then, she has also
worked as mental healththerapist at St. Vincents Hospitalin the Partial Hospital Program.Rayna holds a Bachelor of FineArts from Syracuse University, a
Masters of Science in MentalHealth Counseling from WesternConnecticut State University, and
earned a National CounselingCertification. She is a certifieddomestic violence and sexual
assault crisis counselor and andwill earn her license as a MentalHealth Counselor in December
of 2019.
Catarina Rodrigues, Court Advocate
Catarina Rodrigues joined us inAugust as our new Court
Advocate in the Family ViolenceVictim Advocate office located at
Danbury Superior Court.Catarina graduated from
Western Connecticut StateUniversity with a B.S. in Justiceand Law Administration and is
currently completing her MastersDegree in Social Work fromSouthern Connecticut State
University. She also joins us withprior experience working as a
public Case Coordinator atConnecticut Junior Republic and
The Women's Centerwelcomes third party
fundraising andpromotional events.
A third party fundraiser is anevent organized and
promoted by an individual orgroup. You act
independently, but with ourknowledge and approval.
Through the funds you raise, you make a valuable contributionto the vital work we're doing to end domestic violence and
sexual assault.
There is no limit to creativity when brainstorming ideas forsuccessful third party events.
Here are a few ideas to consider:
Yard SaleHair Salon - Cut Out Abuse
Birthday DonationsBake Sale
5K Run/WalkPancake BreakfastGolf TournamentBike/Dance/Bowl/
Spin a thons
Engage your resources and encourage your friends andfamily to help you put the FUN in FUNdraising!
Contact Linda Cummins, Special Events Manager:(203) 731-5200, ext. 232
Legislative Updates from 2019 Session The Women's Center was actively engaged in the 2019legislative session. We submitted testimony for seven bills andpublic hearings and participated in direct lobbying by contactingthe Center's local legislators. Below is a 2019 legislativesession summary of some of our priority bills and changesrelated to domestic and sexual violence. Be on the lookout forour FY2019 Annual Report with more information.
Public Act 19-189, An Act Concerning Parity BetweenSexual Assault in the Case of a Spousal or CohabitatingRelationship and Other Crimes of Sexual Assault andConcerning the Investigation of a Family Violence Crime -- This bill repeals Connecticut's separate spousal rape statuteto ensure that all victims of sexual assault have equalprotections under the law regardless of their relationship to theperson who assaulted them. It also fixes the family violencearrest/dominant aggressor "carve out."
a Residential Counselor at theWomen's Center's domestic
violence residential facility. Sheis fluent in English, Portuguese
and Spanish, and often aids localpolice departments with
translation and support servicesfor domestic violence and sexual
assault victims.
Cara Mackler, Manager of Campus
Education & Outreach
Cara Mackler has stepped into anewly created position of
Manager of Campus Education &Outreach. Previously, Cara wasa Prevention Educator focusing
on prevention education ingrades K-12. In her new role, she
will oversee all campusprevention education allowing theCenter to expand its preventionefforts on both the WCSU andNaugatuck Valley CommunityCollege campuses. This wasnecessary given the unique
needs of this population and theever-growing needs for
programming and training. TheCenter is now able to devote theproper time and resources to all
students, faculty, and staff tohelp make campuses safer for
everyone.
Matt Austin, Prevention Educator
Matt Austin will continue in hisrole as Prevention Educator
Public Act 19-25, An Act Concerning Paid Family andMedical Leave -- Paid Family and Medical leave is critical forvictims and survivors of domestic and sexual violence whoselives are disrupted by trauma and need time to recover. Thisbill Establishes Paid Family and Medical Leave in Connecticutand includes wage replacement and an inclusive definition offamily.
Public Act No. 19-16, An Act Combatting Sexual Assaultand Sexual Harassment -- Also known as the Time's Up orGive Victims Time bill, this legislation extends the currentstatute of limitations and also tightens sexual harassmenttraining.
5-Week Support Group Series for Girls!
while also overseeing allscheduling logistics for our youthprevention education programs.
If you are interested inscheduling an education
program with youth, contacthim at [email protected]
Become a Member!
Join our Community! Membership reflects communitysupport and shows funders thatour Domestic Violence, SexualAssault and Resource Servicesprograms are important to the
community and provide a lifelineto individuals within our 13 townservice area, including Bethel,
Bridgewater, Brookfield,Danbury, Kent, New Fairfield,
New Milford, Newtown, Redding,Ridgefield, Roxbury, Sherman,
and Washington.
As a member of the Women'sCenter, you can take great pride
in your affiliation with thisrespected organization and yoursupport for the FREE serviceswe provide to individuals andfamilies in crisis or transition.
Show your support! Please help
us to continue to make adifference in people's lives.
Become a Member
#CoachesAsPartners
Do you know about Coaches as Partners? The Women'sCenter has teamed up with four other nonprofits in FairfieldCounty to train coaches on sexual violence prevention withinsports culture.
For more information, contact our Director of Education,Training & Outreach, Ann Rodwell-Lawton at (203) 731-5200,ext. 233 or [email protected]
