Pinpricks of light gleamed in the dark, winter snowfall, as volunteers, staff and supporters of the St. Paul and District Crisis Association took part in a candlelight vigil on Nov. 24.
“The candlelight vigil, the purpose is to shine a light on an issue that’s kept in the dark,” said Noreen Cotton, executive director of the St. Paul and District Crisis Association. Those gathered shared a moment of silence for those who have suffered violence, and for the 1,186 missing and murdered Aboriginal women in Canada whose stories remain unknown, before Hinano Rosa began singing a soft song of lament to close the night.
In recent months, allegations about harassment and violence have come pouring out about celebrities such as radio host Jian Ghomeshi, actor Bill Cosby and football player Ray Rice, Cotton noted in an interview after the vigil, something that gives Cotton hope.
“Holy cow, after 30 years of work, we’re finally starting to see our efforts are seeing the light,” she says.
The culture of not discussing domestic or sexual violence enables such abuses to continue, while raising awareness about an issue can empower people to tell their stories, she said, adding, “It’s become a safer environment for survivors and victims to come forward.”
Monday night’s vigil came on the heels of the association’s annual general meeting and its official opening of its new outreach building. The building, which sits adjacent to the Columbus House of Hope women’s shelter, will be used primarily as a school space for children of the women who are accessing shelter services.
“Because our outreach programming is expanding so much, we needed the space,” said Cotton, adding the money came from government funding and through “generous donations from the community.”
In the official opening and blessing by Fr. Gerard Gauthier for the building, Debbie Caouette, vice-president of the crisis association board, saw the fulfillment of a long-ago held vision.
“They had a dream,” she said of the pioneers who began the association. “Thank goodness they dreamed. Their dream came true, first with our shelter, now with this building. Thank you to the pioneers that started this thing.”
Yvonne Caouette, one of the major kick-starters of the association, was quick to respond with a thank you to the staff and those that followed, for keeping their dreams alive.
Members of the board for the crisis association were also honoured during the night, including Joe Boulianne, a Knights of Columbus member who retired after 23 years of service to the organization, and Natalie Heffner, who retired after serving for three years, two of which she had spent as board president.
Heffner is deeply familiar with the work of the association, since following her graduation from university, she began working as a crisis intervention worker.
“It was a shock,” she said of her initial work with domestic violence victims. “It was heartbreaking to hear their stories and stay strong for them, but it was also rewarding to help these women.”
When the time came for her to move on to another job, she wanted to stay involved. “It’s such a good cause and I couldn’t not be a part of it any more. I wanted to help out in a way even if I wasn’t working at the shelter.”
She is taking some time off from the board for now, but plans to return in the future, since she believes strongly in its cause.
“It’s an ongoing fight. If everyone did something about it, there would be hope to end family violence,” she said. “That’s why we shine a light on the issue and do our candlelight vigil.”
