Presidential Proclamation: National Stalking Awareness Month, 2012

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

In our schools and in our neighborhoods, at home and in workplaces across our Nation, stalking endangers the physical and emotional well being of millions of American men and women every year. Too often, stalking goes unreported and unaddressed, and we must take action against this unacceptable abuse. This month, we stand with all those who have been affected by stalking and strengthen our resolve to prevent this crime before it occurs.

Stalkers inspire fear through intimidation, explicit or implied threats, and nonconsensual communication often by telephone, text message, or email that can cause severe emotional and physical distress. Many victims suffer anxiety attacks, feelings of anger or helplessness, and depression. Fearing for their safety, some are forced to relocate or change jobs to protect themselves. And, tragically, stalking can be a precursor to more violent offenses, including sexual assault and homicide. The consequences of this crime are real, and they take a profound and ongoing toll on men, women, teens, and children across our country.

Despite the dangerous reality of stalking, public awareness and legal responses to this crime remain limited. New data show that one in six women and one in 19 men have experienced stalking that caused them to be very fearful or feel that they or someone close to them were in immediate physical danger. Among men and women alike, victims are most commonly stalked by current or former intimate partners, and young adults are at the highest risk for stalking victimization. Though stalking can occur in any community, shame, fear of retribution, or concerns that they will not be supported lead many victims to forego reporting the crime to the police. As we strive to reverse this trend, we must do more to promote public awareness and support for survivors of stalking.

My Administration is working to advance protection and services for stalking victims, empower survivors to break the cycle of abuse, and bring an end to violence against women and men. With unprecedented coordination between Federal agencies, we are promoting new tools to decrease the incidence of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking, and we are taking action to ensure perpetrators are held accountable. To reinforce these efforts, advocates, law enforcement officials, and others who work with victims must continue to improve their capacity to respond with swift and comprehensive action. From raising awareness to pursuing criminal justice, all of us have a role to play in stopping this senseless and harmful behavior.

This month, let us come together to prevent abuse, violence, and harassment in all their forms and renew our commitment to bring care and support to those in need.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 2012 as National Stalking Awareness Month. I call on all Americans to learn to recognize the signs of stalking, acknowledge stalking as a serious crime, and urge those impacted not to be afraid to speak out or ask for help. Let us also resolve to support victims and survivors, and to create communities that are secure and supportive for all Americans.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.

BARACK OBAMA

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM OPEN ARMS

The staff and Board of Directors would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  As we strive to provide the best services to the people of this community, we would also like to sincerely thank our donors and generous supporters.  It is because of your dedication that we can serve Hancock County.

Thank you and Happy Holidays!!

Ten Things To Know About Domestic Violence

1. Domestic violence is rarely an isolated incident. Whether outwardly visible or not, domestic violence is identified by an established pattern of coercive control of one partner over the other. Power is held by the abuser, fear is experienced by the victim.

2. Batterers’ tactics are usually broader than physical violence and threats of physical violence. Regularly reported tactics include: stalking and extreme monitoring of a victim’s activities and communications; sexual abuse including marital rape; social isolation; threats of suicide; threats or actual abuse against children, other family members and pets; financial abuse; withholding access to money, transportation or medical services; interference with a victim’s work or education; emotional and psychological abuse; and utilizing systems such as child welfare, law enforcement, courts and immigration as threats against a victim.

3. Domestic violence is perpetrated by batterers across all socio-economic classes and cultures. The impact of class and culture on domestic violence is significant in terms of creating additional barriers to safety, resources available to victims and responses to perpetrators.

4. Domestic violence occurs in all types of relationships, heterosexual or homosexual.

5. Males can be victims, although because this is rarer, services are accessed to a much lesser degree by male victims. Most DV programs do provide victim services, support and emergency shelter to males as well as females.

6. Research does not support substance abuse, mental illness or economic hardship as causes of domestic violence, though each of these may also be present in a case.

7. Separation or leaving is the deadliest time in domestic violence. Risk for serious injury and deaths are escalated for the victim, children, other family members, bystanders, co-workers, friends, companions, partners, and the batterer. Leaving, calling law enforcement, emergency shelter and protection orders may or may not make a victim safer.

8. Separation is a process. Consider where in the process a victim may be/have been in leaving or ending a relationship: enrolling in school, making an appointment with an attorney, seeking an order of protection, attending counseling or a support group, entering a new relationship.

9. Domestic violence is gender-based violence. Women are considerably more victimized than men. Women are much more likely to be killed by a current or former partner than by a stranger. Male domestic homicide victims are most frequently killed by men. Male victims are often friends, family members or new partners of the victim.

10. Domestic violence is a community problem as much as it is an isolated family problem. It impacts community safety, healthcare, criminal justice, court dockets, state policy, government budgets, workplaces, child development and education.


Ohio Domestic Violence Network, 2011

OPEN ARMS SEEKING DONATIONS FOR CHRISTMAS

Open Arms Domestic Violence & Rape Crisis Services is seeking donations of gifts for children and women who have been affected by domestic violence. A Client Christmas Party will be held in December, providing many clients with food, games, and gifts for Christmas. Items needed include sports equipment, gift cards, games, cars and dolls for the children. We are also seeking bath and body type items, photo albums/frames, calendars, gas/phone/gift cards, tote bags, purses, gloves and perfume items for our female adult clients. Donations are also being sought for the Client Christmas Party, with needed items including hamburger buns, plastic silverware, baked goods, vegetable trays, chips and dip and beverages.

If you wish to be one of Santa's helpers by providing gifts for the Client Christmas Party or adopting a family, please contact Open Arms at 419-420-9261. All donations can be dropped off at the Open Arms Administrative Office, 401 West Sandusky Street, by December 13th. We ask that donors take care to ensure that all toys, books, games or other gifts are nonviolent. We also ask that the gifts not be wrapped in order for our staff to sort and separate the toys for age appropriateness.

Student By Day, Slave By Night

The Courier (Findlay, OH) - Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Author: SARA ARTHURS ; Staff Writer

Human trafficking is prevalent in this part of the country, and it's children who are the victims, said human trafficking survivor Theresa Flores at the Open Arms annual meeting at Parkview Church on Monday night.

Flores is a licensed social worker and author of the book "The Slave Across the Street."

Human trafficking occurs when a person is forced to work under another's control, pay off a loan by working instead of paying money or perform a sex act for money or anything of value, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The United Nations estimates that there are at least 12.3 million enslaved adults and children around the world at any given time, of which at least 1.39 million are victims of commercial sexual servitude.

Flores ' experience started innocently enough, but soon became a horror.  She grew up in a well-to-do family. As a 15-year-old in a Detroit suburb, she developed a crush on a boy who seemed to be "everywhere I turned." But her parents forbade dating.  Then one day he offered her a ride and she said yes. Instead of taking her home, he took her to his home, where he drugged and raped her.

But this was only the beginning. A few days later he came up to her with an envelope of photos of the rape. He threatened to show them to her priest at church, her classmates and her father's boss unless she would "earn them back" from him and his family. Flores didn't know what that meant but didn't want her parents to know what had happened.  The boy and other members of his family began threatening her.

They would call her private phone line at midnight. She would be instructed to sneak out and wait for them on a nearby street. They would pick her up and take her to upscale homes where she would be taken to a bedroom, sometimes tied up, while one man after another came in. She would be driven home around 4 a.m. and she would get up for school as if nothing happened.

The boy and his family threatened to kill her parents and brothers if she didn't comply. They terrorized her, following her to school, showing up at her workplace and calling the homes where she would baby-sit. Sometimes at her mailbox she would find dead animals.

One night instead of the usual driver, several other men picked her up and drove her to a motel in inner-city Detroit and dragged her by her hair out of the car.  "In that motel room were over two dozen men waiting for me," she said.   "'Terrified' does not cover it."

She was raped over and over again until she passed out. After she woke up, naked and bleeding with no shoes or money, she put on her pajamas, which had been soaked in a bathtub. She walked until she "stumbled into this little diner," where the waitress called the police. But Flores kept silent, fearing for what would happen to her family. The officer knew her traffickers and said, if she wanted it to stop, he would need her help. He gave her his business card.

Flores stayed home from school the next day. In the afternoon her mother asked her and her brothers if they knew where the family dog was. They looked for it in the neighborhood but couldn't find it.   Soon, Flores heard the phone ring. She answered and there was no voice on the other end but as she was about to hang up, she heard a dog bark. Then a gunshot.  The meaning? "If you bark, meaning if you speak, you will die," she said.  She tore up the police officer's business card.

Eventually, her captors lost interest in her, grooming other girls to take her place. Her family, which had moved often because of her father's job, moved out of the area, allowing her to escape.  She went to college to study social work, eventually earning a master's degree in counseling education from the University of Dayton.

For a long time, Flores was silent about what had happened to her.  Then she went to a conference on human trafficking and realized there were many others experiencing what she had, and she began speaking out.  "I lost my voice for 20 years and when I found it, I didn't want to stop," she said.

There is no such thing as child prostitution, Flores said. A child who is a prostitute is a victim of human trafficking, and the traffickers, not the girl, keep all the money. Yet it's usually the girl, not the pimp, who is arrested and punished, she said.

She said in Cincinnati there is an 11-year-old girl in the court system for solicitation.  "She should be home playing Barbies," Flores said. "She is the victim here."  Flores keeps an eye on Internet ads for escort services as part of her activism. She showed one at her talk of a girl advertised "for sale." The ad said she was 22 years old.  "How many of you think she looks 22?" Flores said.

Flores said children who are trafficked have a 40 percent higher chance of death from murder, suicide or overdose. They have a 77 percent chance of becoming adult prostitutes, she said, and the average life expectancy is 40.

Trafficking happens worldwide but in the United States it is prevalent in Detroit and Toledo, Flores said. More than 1,000 girls are estimated to be trafficked in Ohio right now.  Flores said red flags that something like this might be occurring include a girl having an older boyfriend, running away, having a lot of cash on her, new clothes or new cellphones that the boyfriend bought her, starting to do drugs, changes in friends, being tired and sick, missing school or getting sexually transmitted diseases.

Flores started the campaign known as Save Our Adolescents from Prostitution, or SOAP. She put the number for a trafficking hotline on a bar of soap and began distributing the soap at hotels. She also printed up cards in English and Spanish to go on the carts of the maids who clean hotel rooms.  "The only place that these girls are ever allowed to be alone is in the bathroom," she said.  Motels are the hub for trafficking, Flores said, and this includes everything from inexpensive to luxury hotels.

Flores and her fellow activists particularly target hotels in cities where sporting events are being held. They distributed 10,000 bars of soap for the Super Bowl in Dallas. She said any time a city has a large influx of people, and especially of men, the ads for escort services rise dramatically. Men who use prostitutes may not realize the girls are underage and not there by choice, she said.

Flores frequently hears from hotel management, "We see this all the time in our hotel and we didn't know what to do."   She said the campaign is working. She told of one girl, 21, who had been kidnapped and taken from city to city. She took a bar of soap and, during a rare moment when her captors let her out of sight, made the call for help and was able to escape.

Flores is also director of awareness and training for Gracehaven, a nonprofit, faith-based organization in Dublin, Ohio, for girls who have been trafficked. Gracehaven will eventually offer a shelter where girls can live, get counseling and work on their GED. Without such facilities, a girl would end up in jail or the foster care system, Flores said.

About 20 percent of trafficked children are boys and there are no services in the United States for them.   Flores said we live in a society in which sex is "everywhere you turn,"  including in television and dolls for young children. Magazine covers boast of learning new sexual moves.   "This has become normal for our kids," Flores said. "So what's going to happen when they have kids?"   Flores said ordinary people can get involved against trafficking by being a "nosy neighbor."   "If you have a suspicion, you know, do something about it," she said.   Parents need to check their children's beds and make sure they are safe, she said.  "Knowing that this is out there is a first step for parents," she said.  Flores said many of the girls form a sort of bond with their traffickers and it is like being in a cult in which the girls are brainwashed, making them less likely to escape.

The trafficking hotline is manned 24 hours a day by trained volunteers. If a girl calls, they patch the call to state troopers, who have been trained in handling trafficking, Flores said. Citizens can also call to report suspicions.   The hotline number is 888-373-7888.

During the business portion of the Open Arms' meeting, outgoing board member Paul E. Schmelzer was recognized and Eric Anderson took over as new board president. Bob LaRiche was recognized as board member of the year, Luella Eddington volunteer of the year, Jennifer Scannell received the Unsung Hero award and Marathon Petroleum Co. received the special service award. Cheryl Wenner received the Lifetime Achievement Award, and Hardy Hartzell of Charles Construction Services, Inc., an incoming board member, presented Open Arms with a $10,000 check representing the proceeds from the Charles Construction Services 2011 Golf Classic.

Online: www.traffickfree.com http://www.gracehavenhouse.org/
Arthurs: 419-427-8494 saraarthurs@thecourier.com
Edition: Final
Section: A - News
Page: 06
Record Number: CSS9A9
Copyright 2011 Courier, The (Findlay, OH)

National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA


A PROCLAMATION

During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we recognize the significant achievements we have made in reducing domestic violence in America, and we recommit ourselves to the important work still before us. Despite tremendous progress, an average of three women in America die as a result of domestic violence each day. One in four women and one in thirteen men will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. These statistics are even more sobering when we consider that domestic violence often goes unreported.

The ramifications of domestic violence are staggering. Young women are among the most vulnerable, suffering the highest rates of intimate partner violence. Exposure to domestic violence puts our young men and women in danger of long-term physical, psychological, and emotional harm. Children who experience domestic violence are at a higher risk for failure in school, emotional disorders, and substance abuse, and are more likely to perpetuate the cycle of violence themselves later in life.

My Administration is working not only to curb domestic violence, but to bring it to an end. Last year, we announced an unprecedented coordinated strategy across Federal agencies to prevent and stop violence against women. We are empowering survivors to break the cycle of abuse with programs to help them become financially independent. We have prevented victims of domestic violence from being evicted or denied assisted housing after abuse. And we are promoting tools for better enforcement of protective orders, while helping survivors gain access to legal representation.

In addition, as part of the Affordable Care Act, the Department of Health and Human Services announced historic new guidelines that will ensure women receive preventive health services without additional cost, including domestic violence screening and counseling. The Affordable Care Act also ensures that insurance companies can no longer classify domestic violence as a pre-existing condition.

Last December, I reauthorized the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, giving communities life-saving tools to help identify and treat child abuse or neglect. It also supports shelters, service programs, and the National Domestic Violence Hotline, linking tens of thousands of victims every month to the resources needed to reach safety. I encourage victims, their loved ones, and concerned citizens to use this hotline for more information at 1-800-799-SAFE or visit www.TheHotline.org.

This is not just a job for government; it is a job for all of us. Vice President Joe Biden's "1is2many" initiative reminds us that everyone has a part to play in ending violence against youth. By engaging men and women, mothers and fathers, and schools and universities in the fight, we can teach our children about healthy relationships. We are asking everyone to play an active role in preventing and ending domestic violence, by stepping up to stop violence when they see it. During National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we recommit to making sure that no one suffers alone, and to assisting those who need help in reaching a safer tomorrow.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 2011 as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. I call on all Americans to speak out against domestic violence and support local efforts to assist victims of these crimes in finding the help and healing they need.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.

BARACK OBAMA

KEYNOTE SPEAKER TO ADDRESS HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Open Arms is currently taking reservations for our Annual Meeting scheduled for Monday, October 17, 2011. The meeting will be held at Parkview Church, 15035 East State Route 12, at 7:00 PM.


This year’s event will feature Theresa Flores, an author of two books and a survivor of Human Trafficking. Theresa will share her story of trafficking and slavery while living in an upper-middle class suburb of Detroit, Michigan. At 15 years of age, she was drugged, raped and tortured for two long years. Now she travels the globe raising awareness about Human Trafficking.

The Annual Meeting is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided. Reservations can be made by calling Open Arms at 419.420-9261 by Thursday, October 13.

October: Pastoral Care Week and Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Domestic violence and other forms of emotional and sexual abuse are among the most complex and difficult pastoral challenges in ministry. Victims often seek the advice of a trusted pastor and anticipate wise and supportive responses. Pastors and church leaders often feel caught in the middle of domestic and spiritual crises, at a loss for the “right” responses. What is a pastor or chaplain to do?!


In response to requests for pastoral education related to domestic violence, the Spiritual Care Education Series is sponsoring a full day pastoral educational event:

Pastoral Response to Domestic Violence
Thursday, October 27, 2011
8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Location: The D.O.C.K. ~ St. Mark’s UMC, 800 S. Main St., Findlay, Ohio

The Reverends K. Ray Hill and Dr. Sharon Ellis Davis will be with us to share their knowledge and expertise in examining theological, spiritual, and pastoral issues related to domestic violence. Both are certified trainers from FaithTrust Institute and experienced in rural and urban ministries.

Please join us in theological conversation related to domestic violence, effective pastoral responses to victims and abusers, use of scripture, and strategies for working collaboratively with resource agencies in your community.

For more information, please call Blanchard Valley Hospital Spiritual Care at 419.429.6463 or email ekelly@bvhealthsystem.org.

This event is co-sponsored by: Open Arms Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Services and Century Health.

This series is funded by the Spiritual Care Endowment, an endowed fund of the Blanchard Valley Health Foundation made possible by the Great Lakes Conference of the Churches of God.

~Share this information with pastors you know ~

Annual Golf Outing to Benefit Open Arms

Charles Construction Services, Inc. has announced plans for their Charles Construction Services 2011 Charity Golf Classic scheduled for Friday, September 16, 2011. This year’s event will be held at Red Hawk Run Golf Club in Findlay. Registration and breakfast begins at 8:00 AM with a shotgun start scheduled for 9:00 AM. Proceeds from the annual golf outing will benefit Open Arms Domestic Violence & Rape Crisis Services.

Team registration is currently taking place and will be limited to 32 foursomes. Registration costs include breakfast, green fees, cart, lunch and door prizes. Deadline for registration is September 2, 2011. Monetary and in-kind sponsorships are also being sought for the event. To register a team or for more information regarding becoming an event sponsor, please contact Charles Construction Services, Inc. at 419-423-5090.

LaRiche Toyota Event to Benefit Open Arms Domestic Violence & Rape Crisis Services

July is LaRiche Toyota’s anniversary month, 29 years in business and 3 years in their new building. As part of their celebration, Bob LaRiche has announced that a portion of every new and used car sale during the month of July will be donated to Open Arms!!

On Thursday, July 14 from 5:00 – 8:00 PM, LaRiche Toyota will be celebrating their anniversary with a live radio remote and free food and drinks for their customers and guests. Open Arms will have awareness projects on display with information about our agency. We hope you will join us to learn more about LaRiche Toyota and Open Arms!

LaRiche Toyota is located at 920 Plaza Street, Findlay (just beside the Findlay Village Mall). If you have questions about the dealership or you are interested in a new car, visit www.larichetoyota.com or call LaRiche Toyota at 419-423-5656.

OPEN ARMS CELEBRATES 30 YEARS

Open Arms is proud to announce our 30th anniversary in June, 2011.  To celebrate, we are hosting an Open House on Monday, June 6 from 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM at our Administrative Office, 401 West Sandusky Street, Findlay.

Come in to meet our staff and tour the facility.  We will be offering food and beverages, and will be giving tours of our building.

For more information, call Open Arms at 419.420.9261 or visit http://www.openarmsfindlay.org/.

Walk A Mile In Her Shoes a Smashing Success

Open Arms and Huntington National Bank are excited by the response to our Walk A Mile In Her Shoes event, held on Saturday, April 30.  The event, which took place at Riverside Park, was well received by the community and raised approximately $25,000 for the agency!!

Television news crews were on site interviewing walkers and live radio remotes broadcasted event information from 10:00 AM until 1:00 PM. 

Walkers and supporters filled the park and enjoyed food vendors, awards and prizes, and a fun filled Kids Zone area.

We are thrilled with the turnout and the money raised at the event will go toward providing services to local victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

GEARING UP FOR 3RD ANNUAL WALK A MILE IN HER SHOES

Open Arms is gearing up for the 3rd Annual Walk A Mile In Her Shoes event, locally sponsored by Huntington National Bank.  The event is being held at Riverside Park on Saturday, April 30.  With over 200 walkers already registered, this will prove to be our biggest Men's March yet in Findlay, Ohio!

This year's event includes a free Kids Zone, sponsored by Something Special Learning Center, Face Painting by Mercy, and an inflatable bounce house by Pirate's Cove!!  Don't miss your chance to come out and meet Spongebob at the Kids Zone!

With vendors, prizes, awards, food and fun, this event is a family friendly good time you won't want to miss!  Registration kicks off at 10:30 AM, with the walk beginning at 12:15.  There will be an awards ceremony at 1:00 PM.  For more information, visit http://www.openarmsfindlay.org/.

NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS RIGHTS WEEK

April 10, 2011, marks the beginning of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, a time to honor victims and the advocates of victims’ rights. This year’s theme—Reshaping the Future, Honoring the Past—evokes victims’ past struggles and our nation’s duty to help them rebuild stronger lives.
For victims, reshaping the future means confronting many challenges. After a crime, victims need to know what rights and resources they can count on. They may need funds to pay medical bills or find an attorney. They may want information on the criminal justice process, their rights to be present or heard in court, and to be notified about court proceedings and offenders’ whereabouts.

For victim advocates, reshaping the future—particularly in these financially stressed times—means finding ways to do more with less. It means locating resources for victims and making sure victims have a voice. Reshaping the future requires meeting present and emerging challenges.

We encourage community members to honor victims of crime and look for several displays in the community this week as advocates are out meeting the needs of victims. For additional information about National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, and how to help victims in your community, please contact Open Arms Domestic Violence & Rape Crisis Services at our 24 hour crisis hotline, 419-422-4766 or the Hancock County Prosecutor Office at 419-424-7287.

Advocates For Ohio's Future

Advocates for Ohio's Future works to maintain vital public services - health, human services, and early care & education - at a level that meets people's basic needs and protects our state's most vulnerable populations. Advocates for Ohio's Future accomplishes its mission by:

• Making sure that our state budget priorities take into account the basic needs of the vulnerable and of those struggling because of the current recession;


• Raising awareness of the value of vital public services and the role they play in the lives of Ohio children and adults;


• Educating Ohioans about the interdependence between human services and economic stability;


• Building district-wide networks of supporters and organizations across the state willing to inform their families, friends, neighbors, the media, and constituencies and to advocate for vital public services; and


• Working to make Ohio's health and human service delivery system more streamlined and coordinated.

To that end, Advocates for Ohio's Future supports a budget solution that provides vulnerable populations.

A nonpartisan coalition, Advocates for Ohio's Future is funded by a combination of foundation and member grants, supporter contributions, and in-kind donations. AOF is particularly grateful to United Way of Greater Cincinnati, The George Gund Foundation, Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks, Ohio AARP, and the Ohio Provider Resource Association for their support this year. If you would like to support the work of Advocates for Ohio's Future, visit http://advocatesforohio.org/donate.

Visit us at the Leisure Living Home Show

Open Arms is excited to participate at the Leisure Living Home Show April 1 - 3 at The Cube in Findlay. We will be setting up a booth to display agency information, as well as our famous four inch red pumps in anticipation of Walk a Mile In Her Shoes®!! This year's Walk A Mile in Her Shoes® event will be held on Saturday, April 30 at Riverside Park. We will be registering walkers at Leisure Living and encouraging men to try on the shoes. We will also have several high school students walking around the event in the signature pumps. Don't miss our life sized cardboard cutouts of Mayor Sehnert, Dave Glass, Ryan & Bob LaRiche and Sgt. Mike Martien & Officer Brian White!! And best of all gentlemen...wear YOUR heels and get in Leisure Living FREE OF CHARGE!!

Open Arms Chosen As Participant of Schneider Circle

Open Arms has been selected as 1 of 12 local nonprofit agencies to participate in the inaugural Schneider Circle through The Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation. The Schneider Circle is a two year commitment. Participating agencies will be able to access trainings provided by regional experts in fundraising, meeting management and leadership transition. The Open Arms Board and staff are excited for the opportunity and look forward to all it has to offer.

3rd ANNUAL WALK A MILE IN HER SHOES®

Open Arms is proud to announce the 3rd annual Walk A Mile In Her Shoes® event, scheduled for Saturday, April 30, 2011 at Riverside Park in Findlay. Once again, local men and boys will walk one mile in high heel shoes to speak out against domestic violence and sexual assault.

Online registration is available for walkers, teams and volunteers at http://www.openarmsfindlay.org/. This year's walk is sure to be a hit for the entire family with the new Kid's Zone area! This free area will feature arts and craft areas sponsored by Something Special Learning Center, as well as face painting, balloon animals, inflatables, and Spongebob himself!!!

This fun filled event includes vendors, concessions, prizes and awards and a raffle for a stainless steel dishwasher sponsored by Whirlpool Corporation!

For more information about the event, call 419-420-9261. For more information about Walk A Mile In Her Shoes®: The Men's March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault and Gender Violence visit http://www.walkamileinhershoes.org/. Licensed by Frank Baird and Walk A Mile In Her Shoes®, a Venture Humanity, Inc. Project.

Take Action Today: Protect Funding for Victims

Urge the House of Representatives to Oppose Funding Cuts for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Programs!

Congress has been operating on a short-term Continuing Resolution (CR), which funds all federal programs at last year’s funding levels. The CR will expire in March, so the House of Representatives is now working on proposed funding levels for all programs through the end of this fiscal year. All federal programs are being considered for cuts, including funding for the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) and the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA). These are all funding sources Open Arms receives.

As the demand for services continues to far outstrip available resources, federal funding cuts would further threaten the ability of programs to respond to the needs of victims fleeing life-threatening violence. Federal funds are vital to keep programs open and serve victims in need.
Congress needs to hear that domestic violence and sexual assault programs are important to their constituents! Tell Representative Jordan to oppose cuts to these lifesaving programs.

Take action now!

Please take five minutes to call your Representative and tell them that this funding is vital and victims’ need them to preserve current funding levels.

Call 1-866-997-6651 to reach the Congressional Switchboard and ask them to transfer you to your Representative Jordan’s Office.

What to say when you call:
Hello, my name is______, I am a constituent from Findlay, Ohio.
I am calling to urge the Congressman Jordan to preserve current funding for the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA), and the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA). These laws support lifesaving programs for victims of domestic and sexual violence in our district.
The demand for lifesaving domestic and sexual violence services far outpaces available resources. Victims of these crimes are counting on Congress to pass a FY 2011 funding bill that preserves current funding levels for domestic violence and sexual assault programs throughout the country.

What will happen next?
The House of Representatives’ bill is just the first step in the process. After the House completes its bill, the Senate will work on its version of the funding bill. The House and Senate bills will need to be combined, and then the final bill will be sent to the President for his signature. Your response to this Action Alert is critical to helping the Senate negotiate anticipated House cuts.

Thank you for taking action to support this critical funding!

Presidential Proclamation--National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, 2011

National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month reflects our Nation's growing understanding that violence within relationships often begins during adolescence. Each year, about one in four teens report being the victim of verbal, physical, emotional, or sexual violence. Abusive relationships can impact adolescent development, and teens who experience dating violence may suffer long-term negative behavioral and health consequences. Adolescents in controlling or violent relationships may carry these dangerous and unhealthy patterns into future relationships. The time to break the cycle of teen dating violence is now, before another generation falls victim to this tragedy.

Though many communities face the problem of teen dating violence, young people can be afraid to discuss it, or they may not recognize the severity of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. Parents and other adults can also be uncomfortable acknowledging that young people experience abuse, or may be unaware of its occurrence. To help stop abuse before it starts, mentors and leaders must stress the importance of mutual respect and challenge representations in popular culture that can lead young people to accept unhealthy behavior in their relationships.

Our efforts to take on teen dating violence must address the social realities of adolescent life today. Technology such as cell phones, email, and social networking websites play a major role in many teenagers' lives, but these tools are sometimes tragically used for control, stalking, and victimization. Emotional abuse using digital technology, including frequent text messages, threatening emails, and the circulation of embarrassing messages or photographs without consent, can be devastating to young teens. I encourage concerned teens, parents, and loved ones to contact the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline at 1-866-331-9474 or visit www.LoveIsRespect.org to receive immediate and confidential advice and referrals.

During National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month -- and throughout the year -- let each of us resolve to do our part to break the silence and create a culture of healthy relationships for all our young people. Adults who respect themselves, their partners, and their neighbors demonstrate positive behaviors to our children -- lessons that will help them lead safe and happy lives free from violence.

Safe Helpline to Launch February 7

The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) will be launching the DoD Safe Helpline on February 7, 2011. This is a groundbreaking crisis support service for members of the active duty military community affected by sexual assault.

Safe Helpline provides live, one-on-one advice, support, and information to the worldwide DoD community. The service is anonymous, secure, and available 24/7 - providing victims with the help they need, anytime, anywhere.

Specially trained Safe Helpline staff provide help in three ways. The Online services provide live, confidential help through a secure instant-messaging format at SafeHelpline.org. Victims who prefer to get help by telephone can call 877-995-5247. Members of the DoD community will also be able to text their zip code or installation name to 55247 (in the US) or 202-470-5546 (outside the US) and contact information for a local Sexual Assault Response Coordinator will be sent back.

SAINN is a member of the National Sexual Assault Hotline. Locally, Open Arms has received 38 referrals from the National Sexual Assault Hotline in the past year alone. For more information, visit www.RAINN.org.

CONTINUED SUPPORT FROM THE FLAG CITY CORVETTE CLUB

Open Arms is excited to be named the recipient of an $8000 donation from the Flag City Corvette Club for 2010. We are grateful for the continued support of the amazing and generous members of the Club.

The Flag City Corvette Club was formed in 1963 under the name, Fort Findlay Corvette Club. It lasted until 1967. During the 1970's and into the late 1990's, Tri-County Vette Club from Fostoria and Flag City Corvettes, sponsored by Harrington Chevrolet, participated in many activities in the surrounding area.

On October 11, 1998, the new Flag City Corvette Club was re-formed. The club, sponsored by LaRiche Chevrolet Cadillac, held its first meeting on this date with 31 members present. Today, Flag City Corvette Club has over 100 members and over 70 beautiful Corvettes represented. People from Findlay and surrounding areas continue to join the club so it will remain active and vibrant for future Corvette lovers.

For more information about Flag City Corvette Club, visit them online at http://www.flagcitycorvettes.com/. The club is a great place to build new and lasting friendships, help out those in need and enjoy these beautiful automobiles!

OPEN ARMS RECEIVES TEEN ADVOCACY GRANT FROM THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

Open Arms has been awarded a two-year grant of $19,574 from the Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation. The funds are made available from the Howard and Carolyn Marvin Fund, Findlay Industries, Inc. Fund, and George Countryman Fund.

The grant will be used for teen advocacy services; including individual and group support for teen victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and teen dating violence. The services also include court accompaniment and paperwork assistance to juveniles wishing to obtain legal protection against another juvenile through a civil protection order.

Open Arms offers six programs to families affected by domestic violence and sexual assault including: emergency shelter, visitation and exchange services, rape crisis services, batterers intervention programming, child advocacy, including prevention presentations, and legal advocacy.

The Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life in Hancock County through collaborative leadership, responsible grant making, and development of philanthropic giving. Established in 1992 as an outgrowth of a one-time gift from L. Dale Dorney, The Community Foundation has granted more than $20 million to fund projects that support our community. Visit www.community-foundation.com or call 419-425-1100 to learn more about how The Community Foundation is helping our community.