|
Homer is a beautiful community, but underneath its surface attraction is a hidden layer of violence - in particular, domestic violence. In this project we will work with two agencies to try to address that problem as it affects local girls and, going even deeper, to help make the community aware not only of the violence itself, but what it can do to curb it.
First, we want to provide scholarships for eight 5th and 6th grade girls who have experienced adverse childhood experiences to attend a three-day outdoor adventure at a nature-study camp across Kachemak Bay. The girls -- all victims of physical, mental or verbal abuse and/or neglect -- will have the opportunity to hike, canoe, tidepool, journal, and learn techniques to calm. This particular program was developed by Katherine Dolma and Taylor Ellison, Homer representatives at Rotary's Global Peace Forum in Honolulu a year ago, who also presented their idea at that time, calling Caring About My Planet (CAMP). This year it is being further sponsored by the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies, which has donated its facilities at the Peterson Bay Field Station across Kachemak Bay.
The second part of the project will be to provide supplies and training and coordination support for South Peninsula Haven House's "Green Dot" program. This is a violence prevention strategy aimed at helping area residents move from awareness to action , by providing information and training in skills to safely intervene to prevent violence, and to realize that no one has to do everything, but everyone can do something to end violence.
The term of this project will be from the date of approval until Dec. 31. Funds for this project will be used as follows: $1,000 for scholarships which will pay for food and fuel for eight participants and two counselors for the three days of the camp; $500 for training supplies for the Green Dot program; $500 for training support and services for the same program. It is anticipated that three to four club members will oversee the granting of scholarships, buy and allocate supplies, and participate in training support and services.
|
