A busy day!

Yesterday was a busy day for HOPE Center and its board members!

In the morning we made the case for our United Way funding from Faribault. We were excited that board member Gary Lazarz came to talk about the importance of having men be involved with HOPE Center. It is always nice to be able to talk about what HOPE Center does and is working on and to see the excitement of the Investment Panels who have the chance to find out more about all of the good work happening in the community.

Then in the evening our Sexual Assault Advocate went to speak to a group of Girl Scouts about healthy boundaries, the importance of good friends, and Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

And at the Lonsdale City Council meeting board members Renee Thompson and Pastor Howard White were there to accept the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Prevention Month Proclamation.

Not in our town?

Not in our town?

I was fortunate enough to be chosen to attend a week-long Community Leadership training put on by the Blandin Foundation. The Blandin foundation’s mission is: “To strengthen communities in rural Minnesota,” by providing community leadership training opportunities (Blandin Foundation).

As a social worker, I attended to seek ways to enrich my work with Northfield Hospice. I wanted to learn ways to engage our community in conversations about death and dying. As a Hospice social worker, I work with a team to support and guide dying patients and their families both leading up to, and following the death. It is an invaluable service to our community and touches many lives.

However, at the end of the week, I felt more compelled than ever to seek ways to raise awareness of another important issue facing our community—sexual violence.

In addition to working with those facing a terminal illness, I have spent the last 10 years advocating for survivors of violence around the state, and more recently in the Northfield area. I do so by serving on the Board of Directors for the HOPE Center. For those that may not be familiar with the HOPE Center, it stands for: Healing, Outreach, Prevention, Education. The HOPE Center is the only organization in Rice County providing free, direct support to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse. It is also committed to creating zero tolerance for violence by collaborating with many community agencies and schools to provide education and prevention strategies in Northfield and all of Rice County.

Read more at:

http://northfield.org/content/april-sexual-assault-awareness-month

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month...