Diane Cantrell knows all too well how devastating domestic violence can be. Her family was dealt a blow last year when her niece, Jessica Martel, was killed in Morinville.
It has been almost one year since that tragedy and the family's wounds are still fresh but Cantrell knows that there is only one way to heal. She is doing what she can to spread the word to as many people as possible.
"I felt that with the anniversary coming up that we should do something in memory of Jess," she said. After approaching the staff at St. Albert Stop Abuse in Families (SAIF), they collaborated to come up with this subdued but still significant awareness campaign to be set up this weekend at a local hardware store. Rona recently announced that it was partnering with the Canadian Women's Foundation to help female victims of domestic violence. The management at St. Albert's Inglewood Drive location agreed to let her set up an information booth so she can talk to customers.
She intends to make this an annual event. There will be a donation jar available but the main intent is to spread the word.
"We wanted it to be in collaboration with an organization that would use the money in their fight against domestic violence. It took this tragic, horrible event in our lives to make me want to reach out and do something."
According to SAIF, incidents of domestic violence, including senior abuse, have become a growing problem with the recent economic downturn.
Cantrell and representatives from SAIF will be at Rona from 12 to 4 p.m. on Saturday.
Bank makes music for service club's ears
This is the third year in a row that TD Canada Trust has come through with a big drop in the piggy bank for the Rotary Club of St. Albert, which puts on the annual Rotary Music Festival. Last Friday Rotary members received a $10,000 donation from the bank's representatives Erwin Lehnert and Cheri Thomasson.
Rotary member Brian Sherrington explained that without this level of support from TD and other major sponsors like Penn West Energy Trust, events like the music festival wouldn't happen.
"That makes a huge portion of our [funding]. We couldn't survive without it," he said, adding that the entire budget for the festival is about $100,000. This still leaves the group with a significant amount of funding to make up. "Part of that is made up with registration fees and we have several smaller donors."
The St. Albert Rotary Music Festival has its grand concert tonight at the Arden Theatre at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10.
For more information on this local chapter or to offer support for the festival, please visit http://www.clubrunner.ca/CPrg/Home/homeF.asp?cid=478.
