New Seasons

There is a chill in the air, the newly fallen leaves crunch under my feet, and it smells like "fall" outside.  I used to hate fall.  The start of fall was always a reminder that a freezing cold Chicago winter was just a few shot months away (if the cold held out that long).  Shorter colder days, less sunshine... not a recipe for happiness in my eyes.


Fall was always my moms favorite season.  She loved the changing colors of the trees, the falling leaves, the chilly sweater weather, all of it.  After she passed away, fall always brought her back to me a little.  Her memory seems more alive during this season.  So as the years pass (this is the 6th fall without my momma) I look forward to and embrace the season that I once hated.

It seems so fitting that Domestic Violence Awareness month is in October.  I feel like it was made especially for her.  If only she were the only victim of domestic violence.  Unlike so many other women who have died at the hands of their abusers, my mom escaped my dads grasp, she survived.  At least physically, she survived.  The trauma that years of abuse caused my mom, stayed with her until she died of a drug and alcohol overdose in February 2010, just 2.5 years after my dad passed away.

It is our honor to be hosting our 2nd annual Parenting Fair to kick off Domestic Violence Awareness Month. All proceeds from the parenting fair will be donated to this program, to help families in Joliet and surrounding areas get out of abusive situations, overcome, and not just survive, but thrive!  I hope that many of you reading this can come out and help us support this amazing, life changing program!

Warmly,
Andrea

A First of Many!!!

Last Saturday, October 17th 2015, something amazing happened at New Life Church in New Lenox, IL.  

Something that Cathy & I had been working tirelessly to organize and promote for the past 6 months.  Last Saturday, our very first fundraiser took place!  The fundraiser was for our local domestic violence program called Groundwork!

Even though we raised a decent amount  of money ($656.55 after expenses), so much more was raised besides funds that day!

You see, my mom was a victim of domestic violence...

my dad was her abuser...

and myself and my siblings were raised in a violent upbringing.

Last Saturday, we got to raise awareness and raise our voices.  

We know that silence hides violence, so we stood together and spoke out against domestic violence!

Our speakers consisted of myself, my brother Jake, the Groundwork Program Director Amirrah, Groundwork client Sarah and my friend Angelica.  We each had different stories to tell...

...I was able to tell the story of my traumatic birth, which my mom and I both nearly lost our lives, as a result of that day....

...My brother Jake talked about what it was like for him as a little boy, growing up seeing our dad beat our mom... and fearing for our lives.  He spoke about the struggles that he still faces today... and the importance of good male role models in our children's lives...

...Amirrah shared with us the importance of the Groundwork program in our community and her hopes that one day there won't be a need for such a program...

Sarah spoke about her experience with a boyfriend (who hit her for the first time by back handing her as he drove them someplace)... she said she was so stunned that she apologized to him and kept telling herself that they would be okay... however, the abuse continued and escalated for years before she finally left him for good.... and it seems like a miracle to me that she survived the things that he put her through...

... Angelica talked about a relationship that she got into when she was 15 or 16.  Her boyfriend was mean and controlling... but had never hit her... until he did.  Only, the first time that he hit her wasn't just a slap (whatever that means)... He brutally beat her... to the point where she was covered in blood and had to be hospitalized at 16 years old....

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE knows no class, race, age, etc.  

It can happen and it does happen everyday.

I felt so honored to have been in the presence of so many survivors of domestic violence..

knowing that there were so many more who haven't survived.

Aside from speakers, we made sure to have something to entertain the whole family!  It was a vendor fair, so we had shopping!  

We also had raffle prizes, a jumpy house for the kids, face painting & delicious brunch catered by my sister Jen.  

Everyone had a great time!  

Cathy & I can't wait to do it again (BIGGER & BETTER) next year!

Lots of Love,

Andrea