Newspapers / The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, … / Feb. 20, 1992, edition 1 / Page 15
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Hope Harbor Volunteers Break Ground For New Women's Center BY SUSAN USHKR A love story with a different twist unfolded Friday as local volunteers broke ground for what will become the Women's Resource Center in Brunswick County. The project represents an expan sion of services for Hope Harbor Home, the local non-profit group that provides shelter and counseling for victims of domestic violence, as well as the combined efforts of nu merous individuals and groups. While some people might have objected to holding the ground breaking for the center on Valentine's Day, said Jack Hancox, Hope Harbor Home board chairman, he found it both "poetic and prophetic". "There is eternal hope in the hearts of the women and children served by this facility that they too will be somebody's Valentine and have someone to care for and cher ish them," he told a group of about 40 men and women at the noon cer emony at the building site north of Supply on U.S. 17. With its expansion, Hope Harbor plans to offer additional services aimed at strengthening individuals and their families, giving them the skills they need to mend relation ships and forge new ones. While providing emergency shel ter will remain the center's top pri ority, the not-for-profit agency plans to network with other community scrvicc agencies to either bring addi tional programs to clients at the cen ter or to assist the center in developing its own programs in six distinct areas: wellness, economics, parenting, education, substancc abuse, self-esteem and growth in personal relationships. In their own labor of love, starting 8 a.m. Monday, Feb. 24, Baptist Men's Brotherhood construction teams from across the state will be gin framing and roofing the 32-by 40-foot structure, while other labor ers and volunteers from the local community will finish the job over the weeks to come. The new center will include five offices and a large meeting room that can be divided into two smaller rooms. Its completion will also free up one bedroom at the shelter that is now being used as an office. A StO.OOO one-time grant from iiic Junirve Founuauon will provide the major cash contribution for the projecL The private foundation in Ashevillc was established by the late Irving J. Reutcr and emphasizes so cial services, health care and educa tion. Additional funds will come from donations and from a fundrais ing project in which supporters will buy a "square of hope" in a quilt be ing made by volunteers to hang in the foyer of the center. "Between the Baptist Men and the South Brunswick Islands Home Builders Association, that's how we're getting it done," said Carson "Pete" Durham, chairman of the building committee. "We're going to have about a S60,(XX) building with about $25, (XX) in it." Local contractors, including an electrician and plumber, arc provid ing labor at rcduccd prices, and sup pliers arc providing materials at re duced cost. "We've had the public's support," said Hancox. "It just shows what you can do when the community is behind you." Hancox said he's never worked with any other organization that has the same camaraderie and "get it done attitude" as the Hope Harbor Home board. Willi a paid staff of of six full time and one weekend employee and 12 volunteers, the shelter al ready provides a 24-hour hotline, emergency si teller for victims of do mestic violence and their minor de pendents, individual counseling, support groups for women and for children, and court advocacy. Hope Harbor Home opened the doors of its shelter in April 1988 and has since served 1,037 women and children. "That's just a little indication of the impact this organization is milk ing," said Hancox, paying tribute to Camp United Methodist Church of Shallotte and its small corps of vol unteers who first saw the need for the shelter and pursued it. "One person can have a dream for iheir area and community and just stay in there...," he concluded. "It's come a long way." Center To Offer Resources For ' Families In Trouble ' The new Women's Resource Center has evolved from the current ef forts of Hope Harbor Home to meet the needs of the women and children who seek shelter there. The new facility will serve as a "resource center for families in trou ble," according to Jack Hancox, board chairman. Domestic violence is often a symptom of other problems within a family that members arc having trouble dealing with? from substancc abuse to Financial stress. While working with victims of domestic violence, said Director Cathy Swaim, the agency realized a need for servicc to the women and their families in the other areas where their lives have been disrupted. "Things follow the director's leaii," she said. "My t/ackground is in working with the entire family. The board also embraces that view." "This is not necessarily the philosophy of all shelters," she contin ued, "but there arc 17 shelters in North Carolina that do provide services for the batterer as well as the victims of domestic violence." "Most of the women who come through the shelter do go back home and they're asking for help," said Ms. Swaim. Along with the services now proposed, the center eventually cxpects to work not only with the women and children who arc victims, but with their batterers as well. "Even if she (the victim) doesn't stay with him, he's going to marry someone else. The only way to end the cycle is to do something about him." Meanwhile, expanded services will help women who comc to the center strengthen their own skills and their own sense of well-being. Typically a victim of abuse has little or no self-esteem, said Ms. Swaim. Helping "empower" a woman to understand and appreciate her own self-worth is one of the first steps in helping her re-establish family and personal relationships. Many of the women seeking services at the shelter have less than a high school education; the Brunswick County Literacy Program has agreed to provide tutors to work with clients onc-on-one to improve their basic skills. The center program will also incorporate training to help clients im prove their parenting skills and re-establish appropriate relationships with their children. In many dysfunctional homes children take on inap propriate roles, such as older children "parenting" younger siblings. Classes will also be developed to help clicnts gain financial indepen dence and Icam to manage their household finances ? developing a bud get, value shopping, balancing a checkbook. While helping women regain their mental "health," the center will al so help clients regain their physical health with an emphasis on personal hygience, planning of balanced meals, family planning and recognizing the need for medical and dental care for themselves and their children. Other programs will help clients deal with substance abuse. PIE ASKS FOR HELP Brunswick Volunteers Sought For Student Exchange Effort How would you like to be in charge of area households and schools hosting foreign exchange students, or actually be one of those host families? PIE (Pacific Intercultural Ex change), a non-profit organization, has contacted the Brunswick County Volunteer and Information Center (VIC) asking for help finding inter ested persons. The PIE program, according to cast coast office director Bruce Wolven, "must first recruit and train an area representative who is re sponsible for maintaining contact with the student, the host family and the school." PIE brings students into the United States for three-week cultural homcslays, six -week summer stays, six- and ten-month academic pro grams and intensive language pro grams, he said. Volunteers wiil be prepared by Wolven through interviews and training, he said, adding that "area representatives run the program for us." "They derive a great deal of satis faction from their involvement in the program," Wolven said, "and we reimburse them for expenses so that there's no financial burden." PIE plans to look into possible placement of foreign exchange stu dents in Brunswick County schools as well, he said, but first the area representatives must be choscn and trained. "Looks like a great program," Pete Bamett, VIC's executive direc tor, said in a recent telephone inter view. "We just can't accommodate it with any current, known volun teers." Wolven asks interested Brunswick County residents to call him toll-free at the Charlotte PIE office, 1-800 346-7536, for more information. Custom Made Ruffle Curtains ? Jabot & Swags Tailored Draperies ? All Accessories ? Jlinda's Window Fashions ?With That Personal Touch 919-253-6682 Linda Thompson 10% OSS With This Ad Uniform & Shoe Sale 20% OFF $10?? OFF Our entire stock of Uniforms and accessor ies including exciting new styles |ust in! Entire stock of shoes including SAG and Nurse Mates UP TO 70 % OFF SPECIAL MARKDOWNS Professional Uniform Shoe Centers t Inc. Register for a *25 Gift Certificate MEDICAL MALL 2245 S. 17th St., Wilmington Mon.-Fri. 9:30-6 00, Sat. 10-5 next to hospital ? 919-762-9898 Sale ends Saturday, February 29, 1992 UNIVERSITY COMMONS 351 S. College Rd., Wilmington Mon.-Sat. 10-7, Sunday 1-5 next to T.J. Maxx ? 919-452-9779 STAFF PHOTO BY SUSAN USHER HELPING BREAK GROUND for the new center are (from left) Crystal Williams, Miss Brunswick County; Katherine Shawver, former Hope Harbor board chairman; Cathy Swaim, director; B rendu Lombardi, former client and volunteer; Carson "Pete" Durham, building committee chairman; and Jack Hancox, board chairman. Operations and r ? hospital rooms cost more year after year. Ask About Health Insurance The State Farm Wax CALL ME. DWIGHT FLANAGAN Phone 754-9923 I Jet. Hwy 17 & 211 PO Box 78 Supplv NC 28462 i n ?' ik, 1 1 1> > ii M.iii ' .1 1 1 1 1 i > titt're SIATI (ARM INSURANCE Stale Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Compart) I hum- Uttiiv Hk Him i n^um Illinois c ..ill lor dcliils oil coverage. toMs. restrictions and renewuhilitx Our new "T-shirt" Rompers, for fun ftf the sun! Children's Clothing ~ 2nd Location - gig** raff-a-muffin ^ Fine Children's Wear Friday, February 21, 10 am-6 pm ? _a Wc have a fine new selection of Haste r fashions for boys and girls 0-preteen. Also Spring & Summer sportswear. specialty gifts and toys for children. 579-0280 -r _ ~ Ragpatch Row, Hvvy. 179 Calabash >y * - M 4 Now Open In Our New Building! Hwy. 133 E. Long Beach Rd., Southport Come see our beautiful new store filled with the finest selection of upholstered and wicker furniture in the area. Open Monday thru Saturday 10-5:30 ? 919-457-6444 CIWTMCBB?KBttC0W
The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, N.C.)
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Feb. 20, 1992, edition 1
15
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