FARMINGTON – October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Safe Voices is hosting its new ‘Community Heroes’ campaign. Below is a listing of opportunities for our friends and neighbors to show their support for survivors of domestic abuse.
Carmen Blandin Tarleton, one of the world’s first face transplant patients, will be kicking off DVAM as she gives a talk about how she overcame a horrific act of domestic violence and became a source of inspiration around the world. The event will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 1 from 6 – 8 p.m. at the Franco-American Heritage Center in Lewiston. Suggested donation of $10 to attend. FMI or to reserve your ticket please call (207)795-6744. For more information on Carmen and her story please visit her website.
Safe Voices will again host its annual memorial vigils throughout Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties to honor those who have lost their lives to domestic violence, offer hope to those still facing abuse, and to celebrate all survivors (and their heroes). The vigils will be happening on Monday, Oct. 6, beginning at 6 p.m., rain or shine.
The Franklin County vigil will begin at the UMF Olsen Student Center on South Street in Farmington, and will include a short candlelit procession throughout downtown. Guest speakers will share their thoughts on the issue in our community, and a speak out will follow. The vigil is open to the public, and we encourage anyone interested to attend. For those on social media, Safe Voices is offering a new way to participate in the vigils this year. Messages of hope and awareness to survivors of partner violence can be tweeted using #digivigil. Tweets will be live-streamed and shared with attendees.
With endorsement from the Maine Department of Transportation, the ‘Crossing Bridges’ purple bow campaign is expanding beyond the bridges of Franklin County into Androscoggin and Oxford counties as well. Take the opportunity to start a conversation with a friend or coworker about what the bows represent, and that help is available.
Through support from Franklin Savings Bank, Safe Voices will distribute copies of Kathryn Otoshi’s Zero and One to 18 public libraries throughout the tri-county area as a part of its ‘Community Heroes: Knowledge is Power’ library campaign.
Oct. 15 is Wear Purple Day, where residents can dress to express and share photos via Safe Voices’ facebook page, or contact the local Community Educator to take photos of your group that day.
Paint Your Profile Purple, happening Oct. 22, is a chance for the social media community to raise awareness about the issue by changing their cover photos and profile pics to purple for the final week of the month. FMI, like Safe Voices on facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Information about these and other events can be found at safevoices.org, or contact Stacie Bourassa at 778-6297 or via email at sbourassa@safevoices.org. If you or someone you know is in need of support, please call Safe Voices’ 24-hour helpline at 1-800-559-2927.
