On May 9, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day.  This special day reminds us to do what we should do every day:  honor, respect and pay tribute to our mothers.  The dictionary defines honor as a showing of unusually merited respect or recognition.  On May 12 of this year, that will translate into activities to commemorate our mothers such as sending a greeting card or flowers, calling, visiting or taking her out to eat. 

While these tokens of appreciation are surely valued and enjoyed, there remains a sense that Mothers deserve more than a single day of recognition and honor.  After all, if it were not for our mother’s we wouldn’t even be here!  Should we not honor, respect and treat our mother with the highest level of esteem every day of the year?  Our words, actions and behavior toward our mothers should be a manifestation of this respect.  How mothers are treated daily by their spouses and intimate partners also teach our children about respect, empathy, compassion and equality.

Motherhood is difficult on the best of days.  For those experiencing domestic abuse, the challenges increase dramatically and may include verbal, emotional, sexual and physical abuse from a spouse or intimate partner.  In fact, one in four women will experience domestic abuse during her lifetime.  Domestic violence continues to be a national health crisis of epidemic proportions.  Abuse is often witnessed by children in the household; in the U.S., there are 15.5 million children living in families in which domestic violence has occurred.

Over the years, many hundreds of survivors in northern Michigan have sought support and security for themselves and their children at the Safe Home, operated 24/7 by the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan.  They come for temporary refuge from the perils of domestic abuse.  They also come out of hope for a better, safer future.  Thousands more have been provided support through non-residential domestic abuse services.

“The violence got to be too much and I was so scared and determined to create a safe and secure life for me and my boys,” said one survivor who had stayed at the Safe Home.  After she left her abusive partner, she asked herself, “How am I going to feed my kids, get into our own home and get myself emotionally and spiritually through this while caring for my boys, meeting their needs and helping them with their losses?”

Would the person who threatens, demeans, humiliates or physically harms his partner treat his own mother this way?  Would he want his own mother to be on the receiving end of such abusive behavior?  Can a person who enacts this type of violence have respect for any woman or human?

Let’s celebrate our mothers on Mother’s Day.  Yet, beyond this single day, the challenge will be to practice respect for other people including our mothers, daughters, sisters, grandmothers and partners on a daily basis.   That may require a refusal to buy into the advertisements, video games, movies, music and magazines that make violence commonplace, normal and acceptable in our society.  It involves establishing the concepts of respect, diversity and equality with young people to help eliminate bullying and dating violence.  It means holding perpetrators of domestic abuse accountable for their actions.  It means friends, family and community members no longer “looking the other way”, but reporting abuse, offering the victim support or letting their non-acceptance be known.

When women can live in their own homes free of fear, intimidation, humiliation and violence then we will truly have a day to celebrate.

The staff of Which Wich Superior Sandwiches in Petoskey will donate 100% of the tips they collect during the month of May to the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM). 

“We’re local people, we grew up here and we have a strong sense of community,” said Mitch Brown who owns the Petoskey Which Wich sandwich franchise with his wife, Merry.  “Everything that goes in the tip jar during May will be donated to the Women’s Resource Center,” he said.  The staff is more than happy to participate in the fundraiser because it will help out a local non-profit agency, according to Brown.

The Women’s Center has been providing programs and services to women, children and individuals for more than 35 years.  Today, the WRCNM serves five counties and provides critical programs and services to fulfill the pressing and ongoing needs of thousands of individuals every year.

Jan Mancinelli, WRCNM Executive Director said, “We are so grateful to Mitch and Merry Brown and the staff at Which Wich for hosting this fundraiser to benefit the Women’s Center.  This kind of community support ensures the continuation of programs on which people of all ages and at all stages of life have come to rely.”

Those who participate in the tips for charity program at Which Wich this month will help support the WRCNM’s domestic abuse and sexual assault program that provides immediate and ongoing support and advocacy to survivors, emergency shelter, 24-Hour crisis and information line, crisis and ongoing counseling, support groups, Children’s Learning Center, Playgroups for those with young children, Educational and Employment Services, as well as community violence prevention education.

Petoskey’s Which Wich sandwich shop is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.  The shop is located at 1592 Anderson Road in the Bear Creek Plaza shopping center, Petoskey.  For more information call (231) 753-2550 or visit them at whichwich.com.

Donnie Lancaster (seated) a volunteer with the Gold Mine Resale Shop for the past 27 years ‘retired’ on Friday, May 3, just three days prior to her 92nd birthday.  Lancaster has been a volunteer at the original Gold Mine store on the corner of Emmet and Washington streets in Petoskey almost since its inception. Pictured celebrating Lancaster’s many years of service include (top photo, clockwise from left) Deb Smith, WRCNM Assistant Director; Chris Krajewski, WRCNM Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Program Director; Jan Mancinelli, WRCNM Executive Director and (bottom photo, clockwise from left) Tonya Wardlow, Gold Mine Resale Shop manager; and staff members Janice Pizii and Bernie Yettaw.

 
Donnie Lancaster, a dedicated volunteer, longtime supporter and ardent advocate of the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM) will celebrate her 92nd birthday on May 6.  She decided it was time to set a retirement goal and her 92nd birthday seemed an appropriate date.  When reflecting on her 27 years of volunteer work at the WRCNM’s Gold Mine Resale Shop, she said you kind of “grow into the place” and that it had given her a sense of purpose.

“I always felt better coming in,” said Lancaster.  “It was my pick-me-up for the end of the week.”  Every Friday for 27 years customers of the Gold Mine Resale Shop would find Lancaster ready to assist them with their shopping and purchases.  According to Lancaster, she was at the store every Friday unless she was sick or away from town.

Lancaster began volunteering with the original Gold Mine Resale Shop, at the corner of Emmet and Washington streets in Petoskey, shortly after moving to the area in 1986 when she was 65 years old.  Reflecting on all her years of dedication she indicated that every day had been different and fun.

“Donnie is by far the longest standing volunteer the Center has ever had,” said Jan Mancinelli, WRCNM Executive Director.  “Not only have we had the gift of her time and effort throughout the years, we have also benefited and had so much fun with a very unique and spirited personality.  She has given much over the years and we were truly blessed to have such a strong and dedicated volunteer with us.  She will be missed.”

Gold Mine store manager, Tonya Wardlow added, “The customers have enjoyed interacting with Donnie over the years.  Helpful, loyal, dedicated are all words that describe this strong-willed woman,” said Wardlow.

When asked if a single memory or moment stood out during her many years of volunteer service Lancaster simply said, “I’ve met a lot of truly lovely, lovely people.”

The Women’s Center established the original Gold Mine Resale Shop in 1981 at 1002 Emmet Street, Petoskey and opened a second location in 2008 which is now located at 1878 U.S. 31 North Highway, Petoskey.  Dollars raised from sales at both Gold Mine stores are critical to the agency to help support programs and services relied on by thousands of women, children and families every year.

A community Baby Shower is being held to benefit survivors of domestic abuse and their children staying at the Safe Home operated by Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan.  The Baby Shower will be held 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday April 29, in the Lower level of the Cheboygan Public Library.

The idea for the Baby Shower was developed by Erica Rhome, Parent Liaison for Cheboygan County Great Start Parent Coalition who was looking for a way to help out the women who make use of the Safe Home.  Rhome started out by learning more about the needs at the shelter with Safe Home Coordinator, Jamie Winters.  “I mentioned our program likes to focus on young children, babies and their moms,” said Rhome.  “When I asked Jamie what the women at the Safe Home need, she told me baby supplies.  I thought what better way to get baby supplies then to hold a baby shower and invite the community to support the Women's Resource Center and the moms, babies and young children that come to the Safe Home?"

The Safe Home serves the five county area of Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet and Otsego counties.  Last year, 139 women and children stayed at the Safe Home seeking refuge from domestic abuse; 29 of those survivors came from Cheboygan County.  An additional 557 domestic abuse survivors that were not in-residence at the Safe Home sought counseling, support and advocacy, as well; 111 of those survivors were from Cheboygan County.

To learn more about the Community Baby Shower, contact Erica Rhome at (231) 818-1424.  For a complete list of Safe Home needs, visit the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan website at wrcnm.org and click on ‘Safe Home Needs’.

The Harbor Springs U-13 girls’ soccer team presented a donation of funds raised to staff members of the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM).  The group also donated a multitude of non-perishables and household supplies to the agency’s domestic abuse Safe Home.  Pictured above are (front row, from left):  Laura Graham, Chloe Hogan, Laenie Backus and Alyssa Hunt; (middle row, from left) Clara Pater, Madison Hunt, Alison Fought, Erika Crandell, Martha Johnson, Jilian Spierling, Ally Hoffman and Ellie Fleming; (back row, from left) Chris Krajewski, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Program Director; Cindy Hunt, coach; Anne Fleming, coach; and Jan Mancinelli, WRCNM Executive Director.  Team members not pictured: Emma Wagner, Lauren Johansen, Madi Bezilla and Adriana Kirby.

The Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM) received an especially meaningful donation from a group of high energy young women on the Harbor Springs U-13 girls’ soccer team.  The donation was also part of the 26 Acts of Kindness to commemorate and honor those who lost their lives in the Sandy Hook massacre; a concept initiated by Ann Curry of NBC News after the tragedy in Newton, Connecticut this past December. 
The soccer team comprised of girls in sixth and seventh grades and coached by Cindy Hunt and Anne Fleming, arrived at the WRCNM’s administrative office wearing tee shirts emblazoned with “Feel the Power - Act NOW” and the number 26 on their shirtsleeves.  What is unique about this group is that Hunt and Fleming not only coach teamwork, formations, conditioning and other aspects of playing competitive soccer, but also intertwine the concept of giving back through community service projects.

In the past the group has helped out at the Manna Food Project and has sung and spread good cheer at Bay Bluffs -Emmet County Medical Care Facility.  This year, the close-knit team decided to fundraise on behalf of the Women’s Resource Center and Safe Home.  Their face-to-face fundraising was done with friends, family, neighbors and within the Harbor Springs business community.  Their efforts resulted in a donation of more than $2,845 and a multitude of non-perishables and household goods for the WRCNM’s domestic abuse Safe Home.

“This is an incredible effort on behalf of these young people,” said Jan Mancinelli, WRCNM Executive Director.  “To see this type of mindset, attitude and effort is awesome, it makes you think to yourself, ‘if this is what our young people are doing, there really is hope for our future!’”  Mancinelli praised the coaches for including education, a sense of community and empowerment as a part of their soccer program.

“We just brought in a speaker, Joe Ehrmann, for the North Central Michigan College Lecture Series who had a very powerful message about helping young athletes become the best they can be—on the field and in life—through building positive, healthy relationships and having a cause beyond themselves,” said Mancinelli.  “This is definitely a prime example of that concept.”

During the fundraiser for the Women’s Center the team was encouraged and assisted by mothers of the players, including Lora Backus, Lisa Fought, Kathy Crandell and Joli Hoffman; as well as a sister of one of the players, Brynn Backus.

The next time you are with a group of people, there is a good chance someone in that group is the survivor of sexual assault.  An exhaustive government survey found that nearly one in five women surveyed said they had been raped or had experienced an attempted rape at some point in their lives.  Every two minutes, someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted with 44% of victims under the age of 18.

These numbers do not tell the full story.  Sexual assault remains one of the most under reported crimes, with 54% still being left unreported, as stated in a recent National Crime Victimization Survey.  Under reporting of sexual assault typically results because:
•    Survivors feel they will not be believed
•    Survivors have feelings of shame or embarrassment
•    The perpetrator is well known or in a position of power/authority over the survivor or in the community
•    The victim is threatened or manipulated into silence by the perpetrator

Sexual assault is defined as any unwanted sexual act or contact that is attempted or completed by force, threat of force or coercion.  In Michigan, the legal term for this type of crime is Criminal Sexual Conduct.  Sexual assault and abuse may also include verbal, visual or anything that forces a person to join in unwanted sexual contact or attention such as exhibitionism and sexual harassment.

Because of continuing misconceptions, it is important to stress a few basic facts about sexual assault:
•    It is a crime of violence and control, not an act of passion.  
•    Women and girls of all ages, races, socio-economic groups, neighborhoods and lifestyles can become victims, as well as men and boys.  
•    It is often committed in the victim’s own home by someone the victim knows or a person in a position of power or trust – a relative, friend, neighbor or other acquaintance.

You may wonder what you can do to help prevent sexual assault.  The National Sexual Violence Resource Center suggests parents start talking to their children about healthy sexual development early on.  Some suggestions might be:

Young children:
•    Teach body parts using the correct name for each. This builds knowledge, empowerment and helps avoid shameful feelings about one’s body.  Perpetrators will often use shame as a means to silence victims.
•    Teach appropriate personal boundaries and the difference between wanted/unwanted touch.  This builds understanding of privacy, how to interact appropriately with peers/others, and that their body belongs to them and they can say no to unwanted touch.

Preteens:
•    Talk about physical changes during puberty and provide age-appropriate information on reproduction and sexuality.  This will let them know these issues are topics that can be discussed openly, without shame.
•    Encourage critical thinking and build the skills to differentiate fact from fiction in media images and representations of sexuality that young people are exposed to 24/7.  Messages from advertising, films, television and video games provide a distorted view of normal, healthy relationships and sexuality and help create an environment for widespread and increasing violence against women and children.

In addition to holding sexual assault offenders legally responsible for their behavior and actions, we must also do a better job of listening to and supporting survivors without blame.

If you, or someone you know is the victim of sexual violence, contact the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan’s 24-hour crisis and information line at (231) 347-0082 or for long distance callers (800) 275-1995.

Sexual assault is a difficult issue to discuss, yet if we choose to be silent we help enable its existence.

A workshop for coaches, athletes, sports boosters, educators, parents and community leaders will be held at North Central Michigan College in the library conference rooms from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon on Friday, March 22, 2013.  

The workshop will feature former NFL player, Joe Ehrmann who has been called “The Most Important Coach in America” and one of the “100 Most Influential Sports Educators” because of his work to transform the culture of sports.  Ehrmann will discuss how workshop attendees can make positive, life-changing impact on players and students, as well as how to help them be their personal best now and throughout their lives.  Joe's approach is grounded in the lessons and experiences of his own remarkable life and the profound impact he has had on others.  Ehrmann is also the featured speaker at the North Central Michigan College Lecture Series on Thursday, March 21, the evening prior to the half-day workshop.

The free workshop is being made possible through a collaborative effort and funding from Beyond the Scoreboard and the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan’s (WRCNM) 100 Men Campaign and Violence Prevention Team.  Additional funding has been provided through grants from the Youth and Community Endowment Funds of the Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation and Charlevoix County Community Foundation.

Thanks to everyone who participated in today's One Billion Rising Flash Mob Event.  We joined others attending events all around the globe in an effort to focus attention on ending violence against women and girls.  Some four hundred people attended the Flash Mob at North Central Michigan College on Thursday, February 14.  Many thanks to Girls On The Run of Emmet and Charlevoix Counties and North Central Michigan College for working with us on this important event!  View more photos in our photo album.

Additional photos on our Facebook page.

Did you attend the One Billion Rising Flash Mob?  Please help us by taking this survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ZP6K72Z

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day early on Wednesday, 3/13/13, during our annual FUNdraiser at cava Bar and Grill on Main Street in the Village of Bay Harbor. 

This fun and spirited FUNdraiser features tasty hors d’oeuvres, cash bar, silent auction at 6:00 p.m. and a live auction at 7:30 p.m. 

Enjoy the festive pre-St. Paddy’s Day atmosphere while helping support crucial programs and services of the Women’s Resource Center, relied on by thousands of women, children and families every year! 

So get your green on, grab your best friends and family and head to the WRCNM FUNdraiser.  You might even find your pot o’ gold!  Tickets are $10 per person at the door, or by calling the WRCNM at (231) 347-0067.

The Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM) kicks off the third year of the 100 Men Campaign to help engage local men in the movement to end violence against women and children.  Pictured reviewing campaign materials are (from left) Jan Mancinelli, WRCNM Executive Director; Chris Krajewski, WRCNM Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Program Director and campaign donors David McBride, owner of McBride Construction, Inc.; David Jones Executive Director of the Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation, and Bruce Koch an instructor at Petoskey High School.

The Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM) is inviting area men to join the 100 Men Campaign.  The agency began the campaign three years ago to help engage men in the movement to end violence against women and girls.

Those who support the campaign donate $100 or more to be used to provide awareness, education and prevention programs in our community.  In addition, each man will have his name published in a full-page advertisement, taking a public stand to end violence in our community.  They are joining with other men in our community in defining manhood as the strength that respects women and children and promotes healthy, equal, non-violent relationships.

Imagine one billion women and those who love them rising up and standing together in solidarity to put an end to violence against women and girls.  It’s happening around the world, as well as right here in Northern Michigan at North Central Michigan College’s Student and Community Resource Center at 12:15 p.m., Thursday, February 14.

ONE BILLION RISING began as a call to action based on the staggering statistic that one in three women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime.  With the world population at 7 billion, that amounts to more than one billion women and girls. On February 14, 2013, individuals in northern Michigan will join activists, writers, thinkers, celebrities, and women and men across the world to express outrage, strike, dance, rise up and demand an end to violence against women and girls.

A White Ribbon Campaign event will take place during a basketball game between Petoskey and Charlevoix at Petoskey High School gymnasium at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 15.  The event is being organized by the Violence Prevention Team with support from the 100 Men Campaign to encourage local men to get involved in helping end violence against women and girls.

The White Ribbon Campaign invites men to be part of the movement to help end this violence by speaking out against it and encouraging respect.  The White Ribbon Campaign was started by a group of Canadian men who decided they had a responsibility to speak out about violence against women after the 1991 Montreal Massacre.  They organized the White Ribbon Campaign as a way for men to show their opposition to all forms of discrimination and violence against women.  Wearing a white ribbon became a symbol of their commitment to end this violence and increase respect for women.  Over the years, the White Ribbon Campaign has spread to other countries including the U.S.

“We continue to see too many examples of violence against women in the news,” said Violence Prevention Team member Mark Fralick who is also an area educator and coach.  “Beyond what we see broadcast through the media, there are many more acts of violence that occur locally, nationally and throughout the world.  It’s epidemic.”

A 2010 national survey by the Centers for Disease Control found that 1 in 5 women had been raped in their lifetime, and 1 in 4 women had been the victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner.  Locally, the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM) handled 1,001 calls to their 24-hour crisis line, last year.  During that same time, the agency’s Safe Home provided emergency shelter for 139 domestic abuse survivors and their children.  An additional 557 domestic abuse survivors were provided counseling, support and advocacy through the WRCNM’s domestic abuse program.  Last year the agency also provided critical support services to 321 survivors of sexual assault, including immediate support at local emergency rooms.

“One goal of the local White Ribbon committee is to mobilize men in the community to support respect and equality for women and girls in their thoughts, their words and their actions,” said Fralick who also volunteers on the White Ribbon Campaign committee.  White Ribbons will be provided to men at the basketball game who agree to support the campaign by pledging to never commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women and girls.  

The Violence Prevention Team consists of key community stakeholders, including representatives from local health agencies, schools, athletic organizations, hospitals, social service agencies, faith-based organizations and the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan.   These volunteer members have a vested interest in working toward a violence-free community.

For more information about the White Ribbon Campaign, Violence Prevention Team or 100 Men Campaign, contact the Community Prevention Educator with the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan at (231) 347-1572.

Local law enforcement representatives sign an updated domestic violence policy at Petoskey City Hall created through the assistance of a federal grant from the Department of Justice.  Pictured signing the document are (front, from left) James R. Lindermann, Emmet County Prosecutor; Chris Krajewski, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Program Director, Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan a collaborating partner on the grant; (back row) Patrick C. Wyman, Chief of Police, Mackinac City Police; Dan Branson, Chief of Police, Harbor Springs Police Department; John Calabrese, Director of Public Safety, City of Petoskey; F/Lt. Blake Davis, Gaylord Post Regional Commander of the Michigan State Police; Sheriff Peter A. Wallin, Emmet County Sheriff’s Office; and Greg Clark, Assistant Director, Charlevoix-Cheboygan-Emmet Central Dispatch Authority/9-1-1.  Not pictured, Jeff Cobe, Chief Law Enforcement Officer, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians.


Emmet County law enforcement signified their commitment to ensuring quality and consistency in the way domestic abuse calls are handled within, and across, departments by signing an updated policy at the Petoskey City Building on Thursday, November 29.  The policy outlines law enforcement officers’ responsibilities when responding to calls related to domestic abuse.

On hand for the policy signing were representatives from the Emmet County law enforcement community, including the Emmet County Prosecutor’s Office, Emmet County Sheriff’s Office, Harbor Springs Police Department, Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians, Michigan State Police, Mackinaw City Police Department, the Petoskey Department of Public Safety and Charlevoix-Cheboygan-Emmet 911 Central Dispatch.

The Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce thanked the Women's Resource Center of Northern Michigan for 25 years of Chamber membership and congratulated the agency on 35 years of providing critical programs and services to women, children and families in Emmet, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Otsego and Antrim counties.

In October 2011, the Emmet County prosecutor’s office in collaboration with the prosecutor’s offices of Cheboygan and Charlevoix counties, and the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan received a two year federal grant from the Department of Justice, Violence Against Women office for $374,000.  The grant is designed to assist and enhance prosecution of domestic violence and sexual assault cases in the three county area by paying for a shared special prosecutor to work on these types of cases.

Michigan Northern Lights is hosting an evening of music, on Thursday, December 13, for the benefit of two worthy organizations, The Friendship Housing Center and the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan.  From 6:30 to 9:00 p.m., stop in to the Methodist Church on First Street in Gaylord and enjoy cookies, a cup coffee and then help us raise money for these two worthy organizations.  Your donation is all that is required to enjoy this wonderful evening of entertainment.

Local musicians are stepping up to perform for the 2nd annual “Cookies for a Cause”.  The evening will showcase the talents of the Harmonie Meisters, Infan8 Praise, the quartet, Light Hearted, Jim Akans and Ethan Akans, as well as, The Nightshades, Grace and Rebecca Olsen on their flutes, and the Michigan Northern Lights.  

East Jordan middle school National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) students held a food drive during a recent dance to help support the Safe Home Harvest Food and Supply Drive.

The NJHS donation helps offset more than $25,000 in annual food and supply costs at the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan’s Safe Home, the emergency shelter for domestic and sexual abuse survivors and their children in Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet and Otsego counties which is operated 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

“Our NJHS is about community support,” said the group’s advisor, Cynthia Boss who challenges students to make their community better.   “Our students have been learning that the world is their world to nurture and take care of and that includes our very valuable resource, “people’,” Boss said.

Click here for a Safe Home Needs List or call (231) 347-1572 for more information.

Domestic Abuse Program staff display some of the items needed during the Safe Home Harvest Food and Supply Drive.  Because the Safe Home is operated 24/7, the need for food and supplies is constant.  The annual Harvest Food and Supply Drive is currently underway, click here for a Safe Home Needs List.

National Homelessness Awareness Week, November 10-18, 2012, is a time to increase awareness about this ongoing crisis affecting more than 636,000 people in the U.S. every day.  One way we can reduce our nation’s homelessness is to help end domestic violence.

Significant percentages of homeless women report domestic violence was the immediate cause of their homelessness.  Many survivors are in highly controlled relationships and lack resources to leave the home they share with an abuser.  Without access to money, transportation or a support system, they must choose between staying in an abusive relationship and living on the streets.  Homeless shelters are not a safe option for many domestic abuse survivors who are escaping a dangerous relationship.  Daily, in the U.S., 37,000 domestic abuse survivors and their children reside in a shelter or transitional housing program.  Locally, the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM) provides support, counseling and safe shelter to survivors at the Safe Home.  Last year, 664 survivors and their children utilized WRCNM domestic abuse services; 135 of whom sought safety at the agency’s Safe Home and 68 made use of transitional supportive housing.

If homelessness is considered an ignored epidemic, domestic violence is an invisible one.  It occurs in intimate relationships behind closed doors, leading us to think of it as a private matter.  Domestic violence is not a private matter, it is a crime.  It is a serious national problem that affects us all – in every community, work place and school.

You can help end domestic abuse!  Support, listen to and believe survivors, and speak out against domestic abuse.  Volunteer at the WRCNM’s Safe Home.  Help others become informed by inviting the WRCNM to speak to your organization, group, school or workplace.  Be a role model by practicing respectful, healthy, non-violent relationships.

Working together as a community, we can make a positive impact on ending domestic violence and homelessness.

The Women’s Club of Northern Michigan presents a donation to the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM) to help support the agency’s programs for women, children and families.  The Women’s Club donation represents a portion of funds raised during their annual Art Fair; all funds raised from the project are donated to local non-profit organizations.  Pictured presenting the donation are (from left) Lauren Macintyre, Women’s Club board member; Jan Mancinelli, WRCNM executive director; and Barb Gutuskey, Women’s Club president.

Women’s Center Domestic Abuse Program staff are pictured holding some of the items needed during the Harvest Food and Supply Drive (front from left) Jen Rashleigh-Houser, Angie Linsenman, Nicole Bruskotter, Kim McQuistion, (back from left) Stacey Ettawageshik, Jennifer DeVries, Amy Strohpaul, Monica Webb and Jamie Winters.

The Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM) is holding their annual Harvest Food and Supply Drive to collect needed items for domestic and sexual abuse survivors and their children staying at the agency’s Safe Home.

The Safe Home provides a secure, supportive and caring residence for families in Northern Michigan that often arrive at the emergency shelter without personal belongings.  Last year 139 survivors and their children sought refuge at the Safe Home and were provided with more than 8,700 meals, as well as all their daily needs.  The Safe Home is fully staffed, stocked and operated 24 hours a day, 365 days a week providing a constant safe haven for those seeking refuge and producing a constant need for food and supplies.  Annual costs to run this program exceed $25,000.

Project FREE preschool has openings for children who will be four years of age by December 1.  Project FREE helps build students’ social and academic skills for a smooth transition into kindergarten through activities such as art, music, computer time, dramatic play and skill building. Project FREE preschool is offered half days, Monday through Thursday, from October through May. Although there is no cost to families, state eligibility requirements do exist.  For those not eligible for Project FREE, fee-based childcare and preschool services are available through the WRCNM’s Children’s Learning Center. To learn more or register, call the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan at 231-347-0067.

The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians (LTBB) has implemented a Clothesline Project. This project is a way for women affected by violence to express their emotions by decorating a t-shirt.  The shirt is then placed on a clothesline to be viewed by others as testimony to the problem of violence against women. The LTBB hopes this project will promote awareness, education and healing. 

The LTBB Clothesline Project has been hung in the LTBB Spring Street Building (911 Spring Street, Petoskey, MI), Tribal Government Building (7500 Odawa Circle, Harbor Springs, MI) and the LTBB Health Park (1080 Hagar, Petoskey, MI).  Follow this link to a picture of one of the displays http://www.clotheslineproject.org/photos.htm.

The 8th Annual Churchill Classic 5 & 10K Run raised $2200.00 for the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan.  Each year the Churchill Classic committee selects a local charity or organization to donate the proceeds of the race.  To date, the event has raised over $18,000.00 for the community.  The race began in 2005 after the death of former CNB President & CEO Robert Churchill who was an avid runner.   The event initially started as a fun, family run but over the years has morphed into a race that will see upwards of 250 participants and now has a professionally timed finish line.

Carolyn Churchill (front, left) presents WRCNM Executive Director Jan Mancinelli with a check in the amount of $2200.00. Pictured (back from left) are committee members Nicole Drake, Sue Cleary, Nancy Lindsay, Sue Eno, Trisha Dobias & Becky Tomaski.  (Missing from photo, Sue Caswell)

NO MORE is a national campaign supported by every major domestic violence and sexual assault organization in America, including the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women.  The NO MORE campaign was launched to stop the stigma, shame and silence that surround domestic and sexual violence.  It is a simple idea that aims to put an end to these devastatingly pervasive and widespread crimes that touch the lives of millions of individuals from every race, religion, age and economic level.

Consider the following statistics from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Justice:

Two WRCNM board positions will become available in November because of term limits.  Board members serve for at least one three-year term with a maximum of two terms. 

Board meetings are held at 4:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of every month at the Women’s Resource Center administrative office on Porter Street, Petoskey.  Meetings are 1-1.5 hours long.

Board members support the mission, values and vision of the WRCNM.  If you are interested in applying to serve on the WRCNM Board of Directors, or would like more information, contact Jan Mancinelli, WRCNM Executive Director, at 231-347-0067.  WRCNM mission, values and vision may be found on our web site, wrcnm.org.

Pictured above, WRCNM Board President, Shari Kitchen, welcomes attendees to the 2012 Women Can/Women Do fundraising luncheon held at the Bay Harbor Yacht Club-Lange Center.

A six-session parenting workshop is being offered by the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM) led by Joann F. Townsend, ACSW.  Sessions will take place 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, October 10, 17, 24, November 7, 14, 28, at the WRCNM administrative offices, 423 Porter Street, Petoskey.

The workshop will offer parents simple and effective techniques to help build self-esteem in children and open the avenues for communication between parent and child.  “Parents will learn skills on how to set limits while maintaining good will, cope with their child’s negative feelings, express anger without hurting, engage their child’s willing cooperation and create a family atmosphere of love and respect,” said Townsend.

Project FREE preschool, a program of the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM), has openings for children who will be four years of age by December 1.  Shelley Troup (left) and Sara McVannel are Project FREE’s certified lead teachers who focus on building students’ social and academic skills for a smooth transition into kindergarten through activities such as art, music, computer time, dramatic play and skill building.  Project FREE preschool is offered half days, Monday through Thursday, from October through May.  Although there is no cost to families, state eligibility requirements do exist.  For those not eligible for Project FREE, fee-based childcare and preschool services are available through the WRCNM’s Children’s Learning Center.  To learn more or register, call WRCNM Children’s Program Director, Nicole Wallesverd at 231-347-0067. 

The Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM) recently promoted two staff members, Stacey Walsh-Hoobler (left) and Nicole Wallesverd (right), to leadership positions.

Chris Krajewski (third from left), Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Program Director with the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan participated in a ribbon cutting for the agency’s new satellite office in East Jordan.   Also pictured are (L to R) Dave Atkins, Vice President of Charlevoix State Bank; Mary Faculak, East Jordan Chamber President; Krajewski; Deb Smith, WRCNM Assistant Director; Jen Rashleigh-Houser, WRCNM Counselor-Advocate; and Floyd Wright of Wright Builders, Inc. and co-owner of Main Street Center, East Jordan.
 

The Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM) recently celebrated the opening of their new satellite office in East Jordan with a ribbon cutting.  The office is located at 100 Main Street, Suite F, on the second floor of the beautifully renovated Main Street Center building.

"…the fundamental chapter of this horrific story should focus on the innocent children and the powerful people who let them down."  Ed Ray, Chairman of the NCAA's executive committee

A months-long coma would have been the only way to have escaped hearing of the tragic events at Penn State.  At first, the sickening realization that former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky sexually abused at least eight underage boys on or near university property.  The deep disappointment in learning an investigation by former FBI director Louis Freeh found school officials, including the school president and vice president, head football coach Joe Paterno, and athletic director had known about the allegations of child abuse as early as 1998, but failed to disclose them.

Now the NCAA has handed down penalties that some say are close to a “death penalty” for the school’s football program including a $60 million fine, four year bowl-ban, loss of some scholarships and withdrawal of wins dating back to 1998.  The statue erected honoring Joe Paterno has been removed by the university.  Sadly ironic, the statue’s inscription reads, “Educator, Coach, Humanitarian.”

These appalling events and revelations have shed light on behaviors most people would rather not examine.  Yet it also creates awareness of deep-seated cultural attitudes and hopefully a willingness to learn more about ourselves, our society and what we value.  If we continue to value power over people, money over individual well-being and the celebrity associated with sports, politics and the entertainment industry, we will continue to fall victim to the reprehensible effects of power, privilege and entitlement.

The Gold Mine Resale Shops are a project of the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM), a non-profit agency providing a variety of critical services to women, children and families in Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet and Otsego counties.  

The original Gold Mine was opened in 1981 in response to community need and as a way for the Women’s Center to help fund comprehensive services to survivors of violent crimes.  Last year, proceeds from the sale of gently-loved items at the WRCNM’s two Gold Mine stores represented 22% of the agency’s total funding.  

Gold Mine Resale Shop dollars support:
•    Domestic abuse and sexual assault services including immediate support; counseling; support groups; and legal, medical, financial and housing advocacy
•    The Safe Home, which housed 135 domestic abuse survivors and their children last year, providing a total of 3,041 nights of refuge and more than 9,000 complete meals
•    The agency’s 24-hour crisis line, which provided 881 callers with immediate information and assistance
•    Counseling services at seven locations throughout northern Michigan
•    Employment and Educational services to those entering or re-entering the workplace
•    Free community playgroups in four communities providing parent resources and networking and creative play, crafts, stories and dance for children age 0-60 months

Beyond helping to fund these critical services, many families depend on the Gold Mine stores

Liz Firebaugh (right) shows her book, Design with Taste, to Jan Mancinelli, Executive Director of the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan.  Firebaugh presented a copy of the book to each attendee at the agency’s recent Women Can/Women Do fundraising luncheon in Charlevoix and plans a similar donation for the luncheon to be held at the Bay Harbor Yacht Club-Lange Center, September 12.

Liz Firebaugh is an award-winning kitchen designer and owner of Signature Kitchens in Petoskey.  She created and published the beautifully photographed book, Design with Taste, to showcase her finest examples of custom designed kitchens, along with some of her client’s favorite recipes.

Firebaugh recently donated more than 220 of the books to attendees at the Women Can/Women Do luncheon in Charlevoix which is a major fundraiser for the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM).  Firebaugh said the donation is to recognize the WRCNM and its donors for their support of women’s needs in Northern Lower Michigan. “My experience in building a business and achieving a level of success that I had dreamed of makes me acutely aware of how important opportunity is for all women,” Firebaugh said.  “Opportunity builds confidence, and confidence opens doors.”

In 2005, Firebaugh received the Pinnacle of Design, the National Kitchen and Bath Association’s highest industry honor.  She attributes her success to her education, training, generous mentoring, hard work and a certain degree of timing and luck.  “Opportunity took me there,” said Firebaugh.  She believes opportunity can promote success for all women and it is that same spirit of opportunity that is celebrated at the WRCNM’s Women Can/Women Do luncheons.

The Petoskey Women Can/Women Do luncheon will be held at the Bay Harbor Yacht Club-Lange Center 11 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., Wednesday, September 12.  The WRCNM anticipates more than 450 guests, all of whom will receive one of Firebaugh’s books, Design with Taste.  To reserve a seat at the luncheon, call the WRCNM administrative office at (231) 347-0067.

Women Can/Women Do fundraising luncheon table captains (top photo) include (front L to R): Susan Staffan, Maggie Kromm, Deb Nachtrab, Jenni Attie, Holly O’Donnell and Carrie Blanck (table designer), (back L to R) Kathy Biggs, Dianne Litzenburger, Linda Hume, Lisa Loyd, Jane Millar, Onalee Wilson, Lisa Blanchard, Caroline Knowlton, Sandi Wolf, Cathy Meyer, Babs Kutcipal, Candice Fitzsimons, Sarah Sheaffer, Julie Norcross and Kathy Erber.

Women Can/Women Do table designers (bottom photo) include (L-R): Linda Richter-Clutter, Janet Mendyk, Vida Miilu, Angela Bishop, Sharon Weaver, Julie Cupps, Traci Oosterhouse, Michelle Egas, Mical Dunlop C.F., Kathie VanderBreggen, Lisa Loyd, Susan Capaldi, Bonnie Hill, Kathy McCreight, Kate Scollin, Brooke Anderson, Carolyn Andrews, Nicole Belmonte, Courtney Oberg, Shauna Bezilla and Sarah Sheaffer.

The Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM) relies on the help of more than a hundred volunteers to make their three annual Women Can/Women Do fundraising luncheons a reality. This year the Petoskey luncheon held at the Bay Harbor Yacht Club-Lange Center on Wednesday, September 12, will have table captains responsible for filling seats and table designers responsible for 55 tables at the event. Each themed table design is unique, extravagant and even includes a table favor for each guest. It’s not unusual to see table designs featuring trees, fountains, moving displays, edible centerpieces and lots of gorgeous flowers.

Petoskey Middle School friends who attended Meg Wilson’s birthday party brought donations for the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM) Safe Home, instead of traditional birthday gifts and plan to continue their efforts to help women and girls.  Pictured presenting the donation is (L to R) Brianna Kimbler, Kennedy Buck, Kendra Shaw, Jenny Tompkins, Meg Wilson, and Natalie Koeller with Chris Krajewski, WRCNM Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Program Director.  Missing from photo are Jessica Edwards and Shannon Cartwright.

If you think teen girls only talk about clothes, shopping and boys; these local girls will change your mind.  The close-knit friends who attend Petoskey Middle School discuss everything from books to the Holocaust to women's rights.  Recently they gathered at the Safe Home operated by the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM) to donate cash and personal care items for survivors of domestic abuse.

The donation is the result of a no-gift birthday party for one of the friends in the group, Meg Wilson. The girls had all decided it would be a great idea to forego traditional birthday gifts for something more meaningful.  The idea got these energetic and articulate young women thinking about how they could make a further difference; one that might help women and girls dealing with gender inequality, sexism, and even domestic abuse, sexual assault and dating violence.

The Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM) received a large donation of pajamas, mittens and hats to benefit the women and their children who seek safety from domestic abuse at the agency’s Safe Home.  The donation was made by more than 400 Girl Scouts, troop leaders and parents who participated in this year’s Troop Mackinaw event.  During the weekend gathering, Girl Scouts explored and enjoyed the Mackinaw City area, attended the Lumberjack Festival and earned a community service patch for their donation to the WRCNM Safe Home.  The event was organized by Heather Tamlyn and Kelly Simmons of HK Events in Mackinaw City.  Pictured during the donation presentation are Troop Mackinaw attendees and three Lumberjack Festival representatives.  Chris Krajewski, WRCNM Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Program Director was in attendance to address the Girl Scouts and accept the donation.

For information on WRCNM programs and services, call their administrative office at 231-347-0067 or visit the agency’s website at wrcnm.org.

Designers meet to plan the annual Women Can/Women Do luncheon, a fundraiser for the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan, (front row, from left) Jon Bautel, Nancy Suzor, Nancy Whitley Balchik; (second row) Sarah Hagen, Jodi Bingham, Kari Davis, Diana Hickey, Sandy White, Linda Weston, Miranda White, Cheryl Hofweber, Rhea Dow and Ivy Ratliff with Wren.

The Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM) will host its sixth annual Women Can/Women Do fundraising luncheon on Wednesday, June 20, at Castle Farms in Charlevoix.  The event is crucial in raising funds for the Women’s Center to help support a multitude of programs and services relied on by thousands of women, children and families every year.

Luncheon guests at The Castle will be treated to the unique and stunning table designs of more than twenty-eight Charlevoix County designers who have agreed to donate their time and talent.  Their elaborate and creatively themed tables are a highlight of the event.

Accepting the Handbags of Hope donation are WRCNM staff Danielle Ross, Leslie Turovaara, Lisa Devergilio and Jackie Bobcean of Handbags of Hope, Sue Bissell and Gail Kloss.

Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM) received dozens of fully stocked purses from Handbags of Hope, a project created in Southeast Michigan.  The donation coincided with Mother’s Day and will benefit survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault at the WRCNM’s Safe Home and in the counseling program.  Handbags of Hope organizers make purse deliveries twice a year to domestic abuse programs and women’s shelters throughout Michigan.  The WRCNM has been a regular stop on the bi-annual donation circuit.

The Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM) thanks the more than 260 individuals who attended the recent screenings of the documentary Miss Representation.   The interest in the film and its impactful message were very encouraging.  Feedback ranged from “Very powerful” to “Educating the populace (as in presentations like this) is the first step in making a social change,” and “It was an important tool for awakening our awareness.”

These two community screenings represent an important component of the work we do at the Women’s Center in providing information and generating discussion to impact attitudes, values and behaviors relating to violence against women and girls, social justice and equality.

The Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM) has had the good fortune of working with many caring, talented and dedicated volunteers over the past 35 years.  During National Volunteer Appreciation Week, April 15-21, we recognize the important role they play in helping fulfill the agency’s mission of supporting women and families in northern Michigan.

This past year alone, volunteers provided more than 6,000 hours of service to our organization and their time was invested in a number of ways. Volunteers at the Safe Home help children with craft projects while their mothers attend counseling and support groups; other volunteers help answer the 24-hour crisis line and meet the day-to-day needs of these families.  Gold Mine Resale Shop volunteers assist shoppers, restock shelves and work the cash register.  Our Community Violence Prevention Team is composed almost entirely of volunteers who act in an advisory capacity to assure widespread adoption of proven violence prevention programs and help promote prevention awareness in our community.  Those who volunteer to serve on the agency’s board of directors help set policy and long-term goals to advance the agency’s mission.  We also rely on RSVP volunteers to help us prepare bulk mailings.

World Book Night is a national campaign in which thousands of people go out into their communities to spread the joy and love of reading by giving out free World Book Night paperbacks.  To become a book “giver,” individuals must submit an essay about a favorite book and a deserving organization to receive free copies of the book.

Maurine Watts, of Harbor Springs (pictured second from left), was encouraged by a friend to participate in the nationwide campaign.  She chose Maya Angelou’s autobiography, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” from a list of 30 possible books and thought it appropriate for the Women’s Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM) to receive the free book copies.

The following is a commentary provided by WRCNM Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Program Director Chris Krajewski for Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Why are we hearing so many reports of sexual violence in the news lately?  Hopefully it is because victims of these crimes are starting to get needed support instead of condemnation.  For too long victims have been silenced by the fear they will be blamed, humiliated and disbelieved.  A step in the right direction would be that no survivor is ever asked what she was wearing or how much she had to drink the night she was raped.  The next step is working to end the violence which will require us to be more proactive.

Breath of Life Chiropractic invites you to a Women’s Wellness Night, hosted by the National Wellness Foundation, on Thursday, March 29th from 6 to 9 pm. It will take place in the Community Building at the Emmet County Fairgrounds, with all proceeds going to the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan.

Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Catering will be provided by Green Plate Catering. Presentations from six local business owners will take place from 6:15 to 7:45 pm, with time after to visit vendor booths. 

For more information, contact the National Wellness Foundation at (231) 622-8828.

We thank Julie Mercer for choosing to write about the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan for her entry in the Harbor Springs Kiwanis Club Essay Contest.  Her essay earned the Women's Resource Center a $50 contribution from the Harbor Springs Kiwanis Club.  Her essay is printed, below.

The Women’s Resource Center is committed to equality, justice, and the well-being of women. To that end they will engage and encourage our community to work with them toward these goals. If I received $50 to give to a charitable organization I would chose the Northern Michigan Women’s Resource Center (WRC). I would choose this charity because I think it is important to our community to have a place for women and children to go for help. I also have had personal experience with WRC. I hope you would have a heart for this amazing charity and donate $50 to them.

The Women’s Resource Center has been part of our community for a long time supporting women and children. This charity was founded in 1977 by a group of eight women. In February the organization will have been open to the public for 35 years. WRC will hopefully be open for many years to come.

Many people have benefited the Women’s Resource Center over the past 35 years. $50 could benefit this organization by providing contribution to all the services of the agency. This money could also help run the shelter,

Charlene Huppapurro, a teacher at Cheboygan Area Schools, is being honored by the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRC) for her commitment to the prevention of violence. Students from Huppapurro’s class were on hand to receive a framed poster depicting a power and control wheel presented by the WRC’s violence prevention coordinator, Dar Charlebois.

Cheboygan Area School students Samantha Darga (left) and Joseph Paquet are shown with the framed poster.

Once again in the wake of the Penn State scandal another organization that is entrusted with the education and, in this case, the medical treatment of children has delayed reporting child sexual abuse.  As a professional who provides support and treatment to children and adult sexual assault survivors and as an alumnus of the University of Michigan, I am appalled that university officials waited six months to notify campus police that a pediatric resident doctor allegedly possessed child pornography.

Sexual violence is a crime that affects the most vulnerable among us in our own communities where we should feel the safest – in our homes, our schools, our places of business and worship.  It is a crime perpetuated by the words of perpetrators who rely on the silence of the community in order to sexually abuse and assault children and adults.  Perpetrators use their words to threaten and manipulate victims into silence so they will not report the crimes committed on their bodies.  The biggest fear among survivors, though, is the fear they will not be believed.  All too often this does happen as survivors are blamed, shamed and humiliated when they do report a sexual assault.

If you want to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day a few days early, you are in luck!  The Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan will host their annual FUNdraiser with a St. Paddy’s day theme on Thursday, March 15 at cava in Bay Harbor. 

The event begins at 6 p.m. and will feature an array of creative hors d’oeuvres prepared by cava’s culinary team.  Attendees may participate in the silent and live auctions bidding on items such as MSU football tickets; roundtrip tickets to Beaver Island; an authentic  gourmet Italian dinner for six; an American Spoon Foods gift basket filled with their award-winning artisanal fruit preserves; 18 holes of golf for two including golf cart at Harbor Point Golf Club; two VIP guest passes aboard Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry; restaurant gift certificates to Whitecaps and Palette Bistro; an interior/exterior car detailing from Tri-Rivers Collision; and a sailing excursion for four aboard “Brilliant” an Ensign sailboat with WRC Executive Director Jan Mancinelli as your captain and WRC Finance Director Gail Kloss as your first mate.  Many more items will be up for bid during this festive FUNdraiser.

Last year, the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRC) launched a campaign to engage a vital sector of the community in the movement to end violence against women and girls.  Although the nonprofit agency calls it the 100 Men Campaign, that did not stop them from gaining the support of 125 local men during the first year.  The men who contributed helped fund a variety of awareness, education and prevention initiatives for local boys and men.  Every donor also agreed to take a public stand against sexual violence by having their names published in local newspapers.

According to Jan Mancinelli, WRC Executive Director, the campaign’s first year was a success.  “This was a first time effort, and although we were hopeful, we had no idea what kind of support we would receive from men in our local communities,” said Mancinelli.  “The fact that 125 men agree these crimes are a problem and are taking steps to do something about it is very encouraging.  It’s fantastic!”

Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRC) Counselor/Advocate Brenda Smielewski is pictured with a large donation generated from a month-long donation drive spearheaded by the Kiwanis Club of Cheboygan.  Smielewski, who works at the non-profit agency’s Cheboygan office and Safe Home, was overwhelmed by the generosity of those who donated personal care items, household cleaning supplies, toys, non-perishable foods and other items using boxes Kiwanis Club members had placed at the Cheboygan Glen’s Market, K-mart and Citizen’s National Bank.  Last year the Safe Home provided a total of 3,041 nights of safe shelter to 135 survivors of domestic abuse and their children and had food and supply costs exceeding $25,000.  The WRC’s domestic abuse program also provides counseling, support groups, advocacy and a 24-hour crisis line for those in Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet and Otsego counties.  Last year, the WRC’s domestic abuse program served 131 individuals and 38 victims of sexual assault from Cheboygan County.  For more information about the WRC’s domestic abuse program and Safe Home, call (231) 347-1572 or toll free at (800) 275-1995.

The Gaylord office of Legal Services of Northern Michigan is being recognized by the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRC) for their work in the area of domestic abuse survivor services.  They are the recipients of a framed poster depicting what is known as the “power and control wheel”.  This wheel is a widely-used model developed by the Domestic Abuse Intervention Project to help survivors put names to the behaviors of an abusive partner. The abusive behaviors or tactics represented on the wheel are those most universally experienced by abused women.

Staff at the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRC) accepted a donation of more than 50 fully stocked purses and totes from Handbags of Hope, a southeastern Michigan non-profit agency that has been donating purses to domestic violence shelters throughout the state since 2006. 

The purses are filled with a variety of everyday essentials such as wallets, hair brushes, calendars, toiletries and lip balm.  Many of the purses also contain comfort items like gloves, scarves, slippers and pajamas.  Jackie Bobcean, the director of Handbags of Hope said, “We give 3,000 gifts of handbags a year to 21 shelters and six teen programs.   We even have a waiting list.”