WESTFIELD – President Barak Obama has elected to mark the 18th anniversary of the passage of the federal Violence Against Women Act by declaring October to be National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and asked all American to speak out and support local efforts to assist victims of domestic violence.
In Westfield, the police department’s domestic violence advocate, Donna Suckau, is responding to the president’s call by organizing a domestic violence awareness day event on Saturday at Amelia Park.
Suckau said that members of the St. Mary’s High School community have offered to help her assist victims of domestic violence and have been working hard to help her arrange the event.
She said that the president of the school’s student council, Katelynn Carpenter, and her mother, Chris, have been active in planning for the event and have been busy finding sponsors.
Suckau said that the event on Saturday would feature informational tables and displays, as well as activities such as face painting and pumpkin painting for children.
Chris Carpenter said that there would be a bake sale organized by the student council at the Amelia Park event and the proceeds from the bake sale will start a Christmas fund to help victims of domestic violence and their children.
Her daughter said, in a letter to potential supporters, that the fund “will be used to buy Christmas gifts for the victims and children affected by domestic violence” and to give them “the Merry Christmas they deserve.”
In addition, the supporters for St. Mary’s have organized a raffle to support domestic violence victims by establishing a fund to help meet their immediate needs.
Suckau explained that, particularly on weekends, efforts to help victims of violence are often complicated because agencies that might be able to help are often not available and funds to pay for needed services from commercial suppliers are currently non-existent.
The new fund, Chris Carpenter said, will be available to fund emergency lodging, locksmith services so victim can change their locks, transportation services and the other immediate needs of victims of violence.
Chris Carpenter said that the St. Mary’s student council and the school’s administration have also committed to a series of fundraising events during the year to benefit the fund.
In addition to establishing the two new funds, the St. Mary’s supporters will also assemble backpacks containing a coloring book and crayons, a teddy bear and a blanket to stock the city’s police cruisers so officers who respond to domestic violence complaints will have something to offer children involved in a complaint which may help them feel more secure despite the turmoil around them.
Chris Carpenter and Suckau both said that they have been pleased by the response to their solicitations in support of the event.
Contributions have been received from area businesses, including King Oak Farm of Southampton, The Party Place on Union Street, Fuller Construction on Union Street, Kids Footwear Outlet on North Road and the Lois and Clark gift store at the Hampton Ponds Plaza.
Additional donors include Expert Fitness at the Little River Plaza, Family Medicine Associates on Springfield Road, Creative Kids on East Mountain Road and Andy’s Variety Store on East Mountain Road.
Chris Carpenter said that Karen Ashburn, the owner of the McDonald’s restaurant on East Main Street, made a generous donation, as did the associates of The Bon Ton.
Contributions were also received from the management of the Westfield Home Depot store, The Tavern Restaurant and The Boys and Girls Club of Westfield.
Personal contributions were made by Lynn Trembley of Westfield, Carolyn Barnes of South Dennis, and Jean Canter of Simsbury, Conn.
Katleynn Carpenter said that the victims of domestic violence “have experienced horrors and violence that no one should be exposed to, and it is our job to speak up for those who are unheard.”
