Helping children who witness domestic violence

This is a great article written by Kate Nyquist, project coordinator of the Coordinated Community Response to Domestic Violence at the Ninth Circuit Solicitor’s Office. The article was written for CharlestonCurrents.com.

A group of community members have joined together in a new initiative to collectively address children who have been exposed to and affected by domestic violence.


Nyquist

Last month, in honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month, Ninth Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson and Dr. Elizabeth Ralston from the Dee Norton Lowcountry Children’s Center, announced the initiative, which unveiled 30 community recommendations for action to be addressed by a newly established multi-disciplinary committee.

Research shows that as many as 15 million children witness domestic violence each year. Not only do these children experience significant physical, mental, and emotional harm, they also are more likely to become involved with the criminal justice system in the future.


Wilson

“Violence breeds violence. We must take action to protect our youth and help them grow to be healthier, responsible adults,” Wilson said.

Domestic abuse tears apart the family unit through violence, power and control and children often are innocent pawns in the dynamics of these relationships. We as a community must recognize the criminal nature of these acts when children are involved and we must work to identify solutions that will address the needs of these families.


Ralston

The newly formed committee, ranging from health care providers to social service case workers, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, victim advocates and service providers, will develop guiding principles and plans of action to improve the response by agencies when children are involved in, witnesses to, or exposed to incidents of domestic violence.

“This is an issue that deserves our community’s full attention and we plan to facilitate successful change through this focused committee of professionals,” Ralston, executive director of the Lowcountry Children’s Center, said.

We hope this initiative will help stop the vicious cycle of domestic abuse, and together we plan to take a stand against this invasive community problem.


Zonta Club of Charleston Selected as Beneficiary of the Harbour Club’s Charity Classic

The Zonta Club of Charleston is very proud to be selected by the Harbour Club as a recipient of the 2011 Charity Classic taking place on September 16 & 17, 2011.

The 2011 Charity Classic will begin with a reception and silent auction at the Harbour Club on September 16, 2011 at 7pm. Tickets are $50 per person.  In addition to music, complimentary beverages, and world-class cuisine, attendees will be given the opportunity to participate in a silent auction with items ranging from artwork, weekend getaways, local retailer items and a few special surprises.

On September 17, 2011, at 1:30 pm, the event will continue with a golf tournament and cookout being held at Legend Oaks.  The format will be Captain’s Choice, mulligans will be available for purchase, and players will have chances to win various prizes on the course. Tickets are $100 per person and include a reception admission.

Help Zonta and Be a Sponsor!

There are multiple levels of sponsorships available for the 2011 Charity Classic.  Please click here for a summary of sponsorship opportunities and whom your marketing materials will reach.  We want you (your business) to receive recognition for its support of our cause. The Harbour Club will be happy to work with you to customize a sponsorship package.  Don’t miss out on this opportunity to reach out to the members of your community!

Donate an Item or Service!

The Zonta Club of Charleston is looking for silent auction items (hotel accommodations, restaurant and spa certificates, travel destinations, sailing trips, tickets to cultural events, etc. )

Plan to Attend!

Tickets for both the reception/silent auction and tournament are still available.  Information about pricing can be found at www.harbour-charleston.com.

Please contact info@zontaofcharleston.com if you like to get involved, or you can call M.C. Hemingway at the Harbour Club at 843.723.9680.

Purchase Tickets for Zonta’s Chocolate and Wine Affair May 12

On Thursday, May 12, 2011, the club will host its Annual Wine Social. This year’s event, “Break the Silence on Domestic Violence: Chocolate and Wine Affair,” will take place at the Wells Gallery located at 125 Meeting Street in downtown Charleston. The fundraising event starts at 6pm and next to wine and chocolate donated by Cupcake and The Harbour Club,  attendees will enjoy works of art by renowned local and national artists. Tickets are $10 per person in advance and $15 at the door.

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Attention Chocoholics! Join us for “Chocolate and Wine” on May 12, 2011 at Wells Gallery

The Zonta Club of Charleston’s mission is to improve the status of women through service and advocacy. We focus on the prevention of violence against women and girls as criminal domestic violence has become a crisis in our state. Through educational workshops for young women and by bringing community and its resources together we advocate for victims, raise awareness & funds and prevent interpersonal violence in the Tri-County.

On Thursday, May 12, 2011, the club will host its Annual Wine Social. This year’s theme is “Chocolate and Wine,” and the event will take place at the Wells Gallery located at 125 Meeting Street in downtown Charleston. The fundraising event starts at 6pm and next to wine, chocolate and chocolate cupcakes donated by Cupcake and The Harbour Club,  attendees will enjoy works of art by renowned local and national artists. Tickets are $10 per person in advance and $15 at the door.

purchase

Internationally, Zonta’s mission is to stop violence, and to improve lives of women through a variety of international service projects. In 2010-2012, Zonta International will fund service programs in Rwanda (Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV), in Guatemala and El Salvador (Safe Cities for Women), in Liberia (Reduction of Obstetric Fistula).

1st Annual Breaking the Silence Awards Gala Sponsors

Verizon Wireless is the presenting sponsor, additional sponsors include Williams & Walsh, LLC, Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy, South Carolina Women Lawyers Association, Liza’s Lifeline of South Carolina and the City of North Charleston. Williams & Walsh is proud to be a sponsor of Zonta’s Gala Event and is donating 5 tickets to local domestic violence advocates to thank them for their time and dedication to the community.

About our sponsors:

HopeLine® from Verizon collects no-longer-used wireless phones, batteries and accessories in any condition from any wireless service provider. The phones are then refurbished or recycled in an environmentally sound way. Refurbished phones, complete with 3,000 minutes of wireless service, are provided to local domestic violence organizations or local government and law enforcement agencies for use with their domestic violence clients.

Domestic violence touches all of us. Nearly one in four women, one in nine men, and over 3 million children have been affected by domestic violence. Wireless phones and technology can serve as a vital link to emergency or support services in a time of crisis or as a reliable, safe connection to employers, family and friends as survivors rebuild their lives.

Since the launch of the cell phone recycling program, HopeLine from Verizon has:

  • Collected more than 7 million phones
  • Awarded more than $7.9 million in cash grants to domestic violence agencies and organizations throughout the country
  • Distributed more than 90,000 phones with the equivalent of more than 300 million minutes of free wireless service to be used by victims of domestic violence
  • Properly disposed of 1.6 million no-longer-used wireless phones in an environmentally sound way
  • Kept more than 200 tons of electronic waste and batteries out of landfills

For victims, call 911 or dial #HOPE.

Williams & Walsh is a women-owned premier criminal defense and plaintiffs’ litigation law firm offering nothing less than intelligent, effective, efficient, and empathetic service to all clients.

The foundation of our law firm is the understanding that any legal situation is a crisis in the client’s life.  We are devoted to responding to a client’s crisis at a moment’s notice, and to effectively and efficiently handling each client’s case in an intelligent, non-judgmental, and supportive manner.

We are dedicated to keeping our clients informed of the status and developments in their case, and to ensuring that our clients are more than satisfied with our legal representation.

Our firm is accustomed to tackling the most complex and challenging cases and achieving the best possible results through extensive research, preparation and effective advocacy. Our ability to quickly assemble a team of investigators, advisors, specialists, and/or leading experts in the nation, who specialize in the particular needs of a client’s case, if necessary, is unparalleled. Every case is backed by a 24-hour per day case management legal team.

We pride ourselves on our experience, accessibility, and results, and consider our representation in each matter a service, not a product. Because of this philosophy, our representation of you will be tailor-made to your background, your situation, your needs and your desired results.

The Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy‘s primary mission is to provide pastoral care and counseling for employees and families of law enforcement and emergency service agencies, as well as the general public; assist the Coroner in notifying individuals who have lost a family member in an unexpected manner; assist the Mobile Crisis Unit and SWAT teams in hostage negotiations and other local emergency situations; and to provide follow-up visitations in the home or in the hospital for victims of crimes and their families. The Chaplaincy is a Judeo-Christian organization that works closely with all law enforcement and emergency agencies and personnel in the Charleston area to provide assistance during emergency situations. These include murders, suicides, shootings, fires

South Carolina Women Lawyers Association (SCWLA)’s mission is to enhance the status, influence and effectiveness of women lawyers in the State of South Carolina.  SCWLA will, through advocacy, action and association, take positive steps to ensure that women lawyers achieve their fair share of opportunities and benefits available to those in the legal profession.

SCWLA Goals

  • To encourage and promote the advancement of women in the profession of law.
  • To provide opportunities for the development of collegiality and mentoring among women lawyers.
  • To enhance the professional lives of women lawyers.
  • To increase the number of women in the judiciary.
  • To provide a forum to consider and address issues unique to women in the legal profession.

North Charleston is a city in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties in South Carolina. On June 12, 1972 the city of North Charleston incorporated and was the 9th largest city in South Carolina. North Charleston is the third-largest city in South Carolina, as of the 2000 Census with a current area of more than 76.6 square miles (198 km2). The city is considered one of the state’s major industrial cities and it is the states major retail center.

With the arrival of Boeing Aircraft, the city has gained international importance and stature as one of only three places in the world for the manufacture and assembly of wide-body commercial aircraft. The other two places are in and around Everett, Washington and Toulouse, France.

North Charleston continues to be the State’s leader in retail sales for the sixteenth consecutive year. In calendar year 2007, gross retail sales exceeded $6.15 billion and surpassed its nearest competition, Columbia, South Carolina, by over $2 billion.

The city continues to expand its inventory of 4-star hotel accommodations. By the end of 2009, North Charleston had 7,246 rooms available for visitors to this region of South Carolina.

North Charleston is the home to the Global Financial Services – Charleston (US State Dept), located at the old Naval Station, Charleston International Airport and Air Force Base. The Global Financial Services – Charleston is responsible overall for more than 200 bank accounts in over 160 countries and 169 different currencies. In 2005, it disbursed over $10 billion and purchased over $3 billion in foreign currency.

Since the construction of Palmetto Commerce Parkway, many businesses,including Venture Aerobearings, Daimler Vans Manufacturing, Cummins Turbo, and the VTL Group, have located and invested hundreds of millions of dollars in North Charleston’s local economy. Industrial hubs, such as this one, continue to provide high paying jobs in the area’s economy.

Liza’s Lifeline of South Carolina is a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting domestic violence victims, their families, and the community through financial assistance, education, and social change. Liza’s Lifeline objectives are to raise money to help victims and their families, provide educational programming, increase public awareness of domestic violence, compliment and change existing services through collaboration with other organizations and agencies, arrange foster care for pets of victims in transition and improve South Carolina laws  and policies regarding domestic violence. For more information how the funds are used, please visit www.lizaslifelinesc.org

January 22, 2011 – Breaking the Silence Gala – Sponsor Update

Our First Annual Breaking the Silence Gala and Awards that is taking place on January 22, 2011 at the Harbour Club is already gaining a l0t of support. We are pleased to announce our first round of sponsors:

Verizon (Gold Sponsor)
Savage Report
Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy
North Charleston Police Department
Liza’s Lifeline
Williams & Walsh, LLC

Individual tickets are for sale now on our website. Tickets are $75 per person and sponsorship opportunities are still available. Those potential sponsors that would like to sponsor a table yet do not need 10 seats, can donate their seats to victims of domestic violence that will be invited in their name to the gala.

Thank you again all your support!

Please nominate your domestic violence advocates!

Zonta Wine Social Supporters

The annual spring Zonta Wine Social took place at Robert Lange Studios on May 13, 2010. The Zonta Club of Charleston would like to the following supporters:

Robert Lange Studios

The Harbour Club

Janet Parks of Life A La Carte

Leslie (Les) Phillips of Phillips Industrial Services Corp.

Sue Mac Ridgeway of Divine Creations

Pam Tinsley of Dan Ryan Home Builders, The Reserve at the Colony

Renee Leach Carlos

Zonta Fall Wine Social Supporters

The Zonta Wine Social that took place at the Lowcountry Artists Gallery on September 30, 2009 raised almost $1000 for our education programs, scholarships and workshops. We would like to thank our following supporters:

Lowcountry Artists Guild

Rick Dean


Food Donations

Janet Parks

The Harbour Club


Wine Donations

Crushed Fine Wine

Grass Roots Wine

JoJo Compton of J&J Wine Merchant

Renee Leach Carlos

Chesley Corday of It’s Wine Time


Door Prizes

Children Museum of the Lowcountry

Nick’s Salon

Zonta Supporters

The Zonta Wine Social that took place at the Lowcountry Artists Gallery on May 13, 2009 raised over $2300 for our programs and workshops. We would like to thank our following supporters:

 

Lowcountry Artists Guild

Rick Dean

 

Music

Christopher Cisneros

 

Food Donations

Al Clayton of A Taste of the Bayou

Janet Parks

Denis Hyatt

 

Wine Donations

Crushed Fine Wine

Grass Roots Wine

Phillips Industrial Services Corporation

JoJo Compton of J&J Wine Merchant

Pam Tinsley

Stephanie Coleman

Renee Leach Carlos and Al Clayton

Chesley Corday of It’s Wine Time

 

Door Prizes

Pamela Cisneros

Island Time Massage

 

& The Harbour Club for on-going support!