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Fair makes people aware
  
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By Norma Engelberg
The brochure-filled tables had small signs that read “Safe Harbor,” “Colorado Legal Services,” “Colorado Coalition Against Domestic Violence,” “TESSA,” “North Teller Build a Generation” and “Teller County Victims Assistance.” They were filled with information on domestic violence — who is affected, how to recognize it, what to do when it happens and ways to prevent it.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and the people manning the tables were taking part in the first-ever Teller County Domestic Violence Resource Fair on Oct. 9 at the Woodland Park Public Library.
“We hope this can become an annual event,” said Corinne Olen, treasurer of Safe Harbor, an organization dedicated to bringing a domestic violence safe house to Teller County and host of the resource fair. Olen offers free financial counseling to victims of domestic violence.
President and founder of Safe Harbor, Vickie Gudaitis, said the idea behind Safe Harbor came to her as an answer to a prayer five years ago.
“I wanted to find a way to give back to my community,” she said. “There are so many nonprofits around that I wasn’t sure where to go so I prayed for direction. Within 24 hours I received six phone calls from women who needed help because of domestic violence. I had to send them to Colorado Springs. It was a wake-up call.”
Teller County has a number of groups that offer aid to victims of domestic violence but has no safe house where they can go to get away from an abusive situation.
“We used to have to send these women — it’s mostly women — to TESSA if there was space available,” Gudaitis said. “If there was no space, these women might be sent to Park County or Castle Rock. If these places didn’t have space, we can put them up for a few nights in a motel but we really need a safe house — somewhere they can go for safety, counseling and medical help, for example.”
She said the group is looking for someone who wants to donate land as a tax write-off.
“Any property would be good but an acre would be ideal,” she said.
Once a piece of property is available, the group has help from Colorado Home Aid, Teller County Home Builders Association and other organizations to get a house built at lower than normal cost, she said.
A memorial to victims of domestic violence was an integral part of the resource fair. Their families received a lighthouse statue and a chance to connect to other families who have similarly suffered. A plaque with each victim’s name, date of birth and date of death was created to be placed in the new Safe Harbor when it is built.
Amy Miller, public policy director for the Colorado Coalition Against Domestic Violence, said her organization offers a voice for survivors with state and federal legislators and local organizations and policy setters who deal with domestic violence, its victims and its impact on society at large. The coalition was formed in 1978 and is a collaboration of 12 domestic violence programs statewide. For more information, visit www.ccadv.org.
Victims of domestic violence often are in need of legal services — help with protection orders, creditors, landlords and employers for example — and Colorado Legal Services is ready to help.
Theresa Kilgore, managing attorney for the Colorado Springs office, said the organization offers free legal services to people at 200 percent of the poverty line and free to seniors 60 and over without having to meet a financial test. Her office covers Teller and El Paso counties but the organization is statewide. For information, visit www.coloradolegalservices.org.
TESSA is the organization that usually offers a safe house for victims of domestic violence in Teller County. At the resource fair, Julie Sage represented TESSA, which stands for Trust, Education, Safety, Support and Action. Besides a safe house, the organization offers advocacy and court support and legal referrals. In Teller County, TESSA offers free therapy and support groups.
“We also have a safe pet program so that people don’t have to worry about their pets when they are forced to leave home because of violence,” Sage said. “Family abuse and animal abuse often go hand in hand. That’s why medical doctors and veterinarians have to report abuse.”
For more information about TESSA, visit www.tessacs.org.
In Teller County, domestic violence and other violent crimes are handled by local law enforcement and when there is a victim to be helped, that helper is likely to be a Teller County Victim Advocate.
Program coordinator Jan McKamy and a team of volunteer advocates provide on-scene crisis response 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They respond to a list of crimes established under the 1992 Colorado Victims Rights Amendment, which includes more than 19 categories from homicide to witness tampering. For more information, visit http://www.city-woodlandpark.org/department/police/victimadvocate.php or call McKamy at 719-686-2509.
By far, the table providing the most information was manned by Doreen Ward, director of North Teller Build a Generation. With its emphasis on making good choices and avoiding alcohol and drug abuse, Ward said her organization is a good fit for a resource fair because most domestic violence cases involve drugs and alcohol.
She was armed with “Tips for Teens” on everything from club drugs to heroin and handbooks for parents about keeping teens drug free. She also had information on health subjects provided by Teller County Public Health. Ward’s office is in the Woodland Park City Hall. Similar information to help teens make good choices is available in the Cripple Creek and Victor area from Gold Belt Build a Generation at the Aspen Mine Center.
Also on hand at the fair were two student volunteers, Jessica Jorgenson, a junior at Cripple Creek-Victor High School, and Andrea Runion, a junior at Woodland Park High School. Jorgenson is the CCVHS student council treasurer and a member of Key Club. Runion is a member of the WPHS Marching Band and head manager for the high school wrestling team.
The fair was made possible through a grant from the El Pomar Foundation.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and the people manning the tables were taking part in the first-ever Teller County Domestic Violence Resource Fair on Oct. 9 at the Woodland Park Public Library.
“We hope this can become an annual event,” said Corinne Olen, treasurer of Safe Harbor, an organization dedicated to bringing a domestic violence safe house to Teller County and host of the resource fair. Olen offers free financial counseling to victims of domestic violence.
President and founder of Safe Harbor, Vickie Gudaitis, said the idea behind Safe Harbor came to her as an answer to a prayer five years ago.
“I wanted to find a way to give back to my community,” she said. “There are so many nonprofits around that I wasn’t sure where to go so I prayed for direction. Within 24 hours I received six phone calls from women who needed help because of domestic violence. I had to send them to Colorado Springs. It was a wake-up call.”
Teller County has a number of groups that offer aid to victims of domestic violence but has no safe house where they can go to get away from an abusive situation.
“We used to have to send these women — it’s mostly women — to TESSA if there was space available,” Gudaitis said. “If there was no space, these women might be sent to Park County or Castle Rock. If these places didn’t have space, we can put them up for a few nights in a motel but we really need a safe house — somewhere they can go for safety, counseling and medical help, for example.”
She said the group is looking for someone who wants to donate land as a tax write-off.
“Any property would be good but an acre would be ideal,” she said.
Once a piece of property is available, the group has help from Colorado Home Aid, Teller County Home Builders Association and other organizations to get a house built at lower than normal cost, she said.
A memorial to victims of domestic violence was an integral part of the resource fair. Their families received a lighthouse statue and a chance to connect to other families who have similarly suffered. A plaque with each victim’s name, date of birth and date of death was created to be placed in the new Safe Harbor when it is built.
Amy Miller, public policy director for the Colorado Coalition Against Domestic Violence, said her organization offers a voice for survivors with state and federal legislators and local organizations and policy setters who deal with domestic violence, its victims and its impact on society at large. The coalition was formed in 1978 and is a collaboration of 12 domestic violence programs statewide. For more information, visit www.ccadv.org.
Victims of domestic violence often are in need of legal services — help with protection orders, creditors, landlords and employers for example — and Colorado Legal Services is ready to help.
Theresa Kilgore, managing attorney for the Colorado Springs office, said the organization offers free legal services to people at 200 percent of the poverty line and free to seniors 60 and over without having to meet a financial test. Her office covers Teller and El Paso counties but the organization is statewide. For information, visit www.coloradolegalservices.org.
TESSA is the organization that usually offers a safe house for victims of domestic violence in Teller County. At the resource fair, Julie Sage represented TESSA, which stands for Trust, Education, Safety, Support and Action. Besides a safe house, the organization offers advocacy and court support and legal referrals. In Teller County, TESSA offers free therapy and support groups.
“We also have a safe pet program so that people don’t have to worry about their pets when they are forced to leave home because of violence,” Sage said. “Family abuse and animal abuse often go hand in hand. That’s why medical doctors and veterinarians have to report abuse.”
For more information about TESSA, visit www.tessacs.org.
In Teller County, domestic violence and other violent crimes are handled by local law enforcement and when there is a victim to be helped, that helper is likely to be a Teller County Victim Advocate.
Program coordinator Jan McKamy and a team of volunteer advocates provide on-scene crisis response 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They respond to a list of crimes established under the 1992 Colorado Victims Rights Amendment, which includes more than 19 categories from homicide to witness tampering. For more information, visit http://www.city-woodlandpark.org/department/police/victimadvocate.php or call McKamy at 719-686-2509.
By far, the table providing the most information was manned by Doreen Ward, director of North Teller Build a Generation. With its emphasis on making good choices and avoiding alcohol and drug abuse, Ward said her organization is a good fit for a resource fair because most domestic violence cases involve drugs and alcohol.
She was armed with “Tips for Teens” on everything from club drugs to heroin and handbooks for parents about keeping teens drug free. She also had information on health subjects provided by Teller County Public Health. Ward’s office is in the Woodland Park City Hall. Similar information to help teens make good choices is available in the Cripple Creek and Victor area from Gold Belt Build a Generation at the Aspen Mine Center.
Also on hand at the fair were two student volunteers, Jessica Jorgenson, a junior at Cripple Creek-Victor High School, and Andrea Runion, a junior at Woodland Park High School. Jorgenson is the CCVHS student council treasurer and a member of Key Club. Runion is a member of the WPHS Marching Band and head manager for the high school wrestling team.
The fair was made possible through a grant from the El Pomar Foundation.
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