Dear Peacemakers of Lunenburg County,
It is heartwarming to have so many of you join us in this community effort to craft a coordinated response to violence against women and girls that moves us all from violence and fear to peace and safety in Lunenburg County.
This is not an easy topic. We so appreciate the courage it took for you to step up into this conversation and to act. There is so much secrecy, shame and stigma related to relationship violence, that the majority of it is hidden from view. And yet, almost everyone knows someone affected by relationship or domestic violence, and that creates a range of feelings within us - helplessness, anger, judgment, fear, blame, sadness. There are so many factors related to violence - isolation, substance abuse, poverty, control, power, and gender inequity.
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And yet, in the midst of the turmoil and pain, there are also stories of great courage, triumph, survival, healing and freedom. One person asked, “How can we ever begin to address this ‘bottomless pit’ of issues that is violence?” Maybe it’s with the ‘bottomless well’ of wisdom, ingenuity and commitment that resides in our community with the skills and talents and caring that brought an overwhelming number of you out to this forum. What does it take to keep our daughters, sisters, friends, neighbours and children safe? It takes a whole community.
This project is an opportunity to think together, to act as one, to collaborate, to join forces and efforts, to connect hearts and minds to respond in some new way that brings the issue out into the open, out of the darkness, and raises the discourse, the awareness, and grows our capacity for peace, safety, equity, love, compassion and possibility at all levels - personal, organizational, and systemic.
Much good work has and is being done by incredibly devoted and skilled people to serve those affected by violence. They work tirelessly to help, support, educate, and care. And yet, the ‘system’ fails so many. Within these pages are the seeds of change. And we have all of you to thank for that. Together maybe we can do something that’s never been done before, that none of us could accomplish alone. Thank you all for being part of this journey. Together we can “be the peace” we all yearn for, and “make a change” for the good.
With deep thanks to our partners and donors of food, computers, printing, supplies and equipment. To all our many committed volunteers whose effort and skill made this event a success, with particular appreciation to Helen and Keith Lanthier, Paul Shields, videographers Stephaniee Moynan and Julie MacAlpine. To our immensely skilled facilitators - Donna Clark, Joan McArthur-Blair, Janet Rhymes, whose generosity, compassion and commitment is unsurpassed. And to the staff at Second Story Women’s Centre who rise to every occasion and need with a ready hand and a smile. You all are our community.