The TCN staff and those honored at Friday’s Domestic Violence Awareness Ceremony are pictured, from left: Michele Nichols, Cindy Titus, Mayor Ben Stahler, Loren Long, Debbie Brownlee, Ashley Buck, Jessica Ford, Regina Pursley, Melanie Park and Marcie Barhorst. (EXAMINER PHOTO | SHARYN KOPF)
For 25 years, Debbie Brownlee, TCN program director, has led a Domestic Violence Awareness Ceremony as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month each October. And though the programs running the event have changed several times, the objective has remained the same: to recognize those working to end domestic violence.
This year the event took place on Friday, Oct. 13, in the new Lutheran Community Services event room. And the theme centered around “the rest of the story.”
“We are honoring agencies, churches, schools and individuals who make a difference in the lives of supporters,” Brownlee said. “This ceremony is about how our community rises to the challenge of helping these families achieve a violence-free life.”
Following the invocation, Mayor Ben Stahler and Logan County Commissioner Joe Antram presented the proclamation, which announced October 2023 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Stahler read: “We join with other communities across Ohio and the Nation to support victims of domestic violence and share the worthy goals of this month-long observance. It is our intention to send a loud and clear message to abusers, both in word and deed, that domestic violence is unacceptable and is not tolerated in our communities.”
Brownlee then shared three notable updates:
- They received the Ohio Violence fatalities numbers for July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023, from the Ohio statehouse on Wednesday, Oct. 11. In that year, the state suffered 112 fatalities in 82 cases—72 of the deceased were victims and the other 34 were perpetrators. That includes one fatality in Logan County and one in Champaign County.
- TCN has recently received accreditation with Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence, which included 40 hours of training and being accepted as one of the newest dual shelters for Logan and Champaign counties. As a result, they changed the name from New Directions to TCN Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Crisis Center. But though New Directions is no longer the official name, people can still refer to it as such.
- Brownlee then came to the theme of the ceremony. In appreciation of the local agencies who have contributed to helping survivors start new lives, they recognized four organizations: St. Vincent DePaul, part of St. Patrick’s parish, represented by Michele Nichols, president; Ashley Furniture’s Hope to Dream program, which provides mattress sets and beddings to children in need, represented by Cindy Titus; Bridges Community Action, represented by Marcie Barhorst, offers rent, utility and other financial support; West Liberty Cares, a food pantry that also gives assistance to individuals case-by-case, was represented by Melanie Park.
Finally, two special awards were handed out. This year’s Community Hero Award was given to Mayor Ben Stahler, who Brownlee referred to as “the catalyst that represents the caring environment in this county,” adding, “This community is a reflection of who you are.”
The Liz Parker Community Hero Award was presented to West Liberty Cares and accepted by Park. Parker, a victim witness for 17 years, passed away suddenly in December 2017. Her daughter, Jenna Schrader, along with other family members and friends, chose this year’s recipient from the four organizations honored at Friday’s ceremony.
To contact the TCN center call 937-593-5777. You can reach their domestic violence shelter, Soteria House, at 937-404-2365. The 24-hour crisis line is 1-877-394-1046 or there’s a national toll-free hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233).