GADV Men’s Tailgate Party 2017 – Casino Royale
Nearly 200 men attended the 6th Annual Gentle’men Against Domestic Violence® Men’s Tailgate Party, Monday, Jan. 23, 2017, at Bay Colony Golf Club. The theme for the evening was Casino Royale and attendees enjoyed a variety of casino-styled games, dinner, presentation and a Cigar & Scotch lounge.
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Thank You to Our 2017 SPONSORS
PLATINUM SPONSORS
Benson Blackburn ~ Johnsonville Sausage
Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation
GOLD SPONSOR
Northern Trust
SILVER SPONSORS
Peter & Erika Aron
BRONZE SPONSORS
The Ahuja Foundation ~ Bob Cahners ~ William & Debra Cary
John & Georgia DallePezze ~ The Jessee Family ~ John & Barbara Jordan
Dennis Ling & Janice Teal ~ Don & Bonnie Rauch ~ Bob & Karen Scott
Frank & Mary Jane Semcer ~ Bill & Donna Waltrip
COPPER SPONSORS
BNY Mellon Wealth Management ~ Morton Cohn ~ Bernie & Mary Ann Craig
Thomas Leipzig ~ Lutgert Insurance ~ Mercedes-Benz of Naples
Thomas Riley Artisans’ Guild ~ Sam & Karen Smith
BRASS SPONSORS
George Franks ~ Ned & Cynthia Lautenbach
Russell & Gail Smith ~ Barry “Z’ & Leslie Zell
CASINO TABLE SPONSORS
Ronald Balser ~ John Browning ~ Clive Daniel Home ~ Dante DiSabato
Marsh Private Client Services ~ Don Redlinger ~ Rejuvenate Medical Spa and Laser
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Painting The Shelter with a dash of SALT!
The Shelter is grateful to Living Waters Church volunteers, who painted several rooms in our emergency shelter, Nov. 12, 2016, and donated $600 towards painting supplies. Thank you to Laura Allard, who coordinated the work through her group SALT (Serving And Loving Together), an outreach ministry at Living Waters Church.
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The Shelter Flash Mob 2016 – Mercato
Thank you to everyone to turned out to support and/or dance in The Shelter’s flash mob, Oct. 21, 2016, at Mercato in Naples. The dance was part of The Shelter’s efforts to raise awareness during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Special thanks to DJ Cerone and photographer Carol Fox.
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Hands are for Helping Fun Run on Marco Island
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MARCO ISLAND EAGLE
LANCE SHEARER CORRESPONDENT

Organizer Christina Nash addresses participants before they head out.
Domestic violence, said Christina Nash, is a subject that “needs to be talked about. I want people to be aware of the services the Shelter for Abused Women and Children offers, not just for Naples but for Marco, too.”
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and to mark the observance, Nash organized the “Hands are for Helping” 5K run/walk on Marco Island Saturday morning to raise awareness, and also to raise operating funds for the Shelter (SAW).
The afternoon before the event, 94 participants had signed up, but when the group headed out onto San Marco Road from the Shops of Marco a little after 8 a.m., over 125 turned out for the first-ever Marco Island event.
“This is fantastic, because we’ve never had events for Domestic Violence Awareness Month on Marco Island,” said Kaydee Tuff, communications director for SAW. “Tina wanted to raise awareness about the struggle faced by survivors of domestic violence – it was totally her idea.”
Marco Island City Manager Roger Hernstadt stood by the registration table as the runners signed in and collected their purple t-shirts, but much like the reporter he spoke to, his flip flops gave him away as a spectator and cheerleader. Local attorney Jessica Hernstadt, Roger’s wife, though, was suited up in running shoes and leotard, ready to run, as well as being a sponsor of the event.
“I have a designated exerciser,” said Roger.
“The Naples shelter is the only one in this area that provides assistance to women who are in dire emergency situations,” said Jessica. “Women come to the shelter with nothing – often with small children.”
Some of the participants at Saturday’s event had small children with them, pushing strollers ahead of them. Ray Trevino had Daniel, 3, along for the ride, and Brian Trtan pushed a tandem stroller holding sons Bryce, 4, and Jackson, 2. Out along Sheffield Avenue, on the return leg, one young woman with her stroller blew by too fast to give her name.
As the participants headed out, it was possible to see the difference between an organization that has been putting on cross country events for years, and the first-time organizers on Saturday. There was minor confusion at the start, even about just when to start, but everyone got headed off in the right direction. The runners quickly got to the head of the pack, while the walkers went at a slower pace. One young lady realized that, in fact, her hurt leg wasn’t really healed up, and got a ride back to the starting point near the Physicians Regional office from a reporter.
Domestic violence is an issue that strikes close to home, said Linda Oberhaus, executive director of the Shelter for Abused Women and Children in Naples, and too often the victims don’t speak up or take action.
“Domestic violence is the most chronically under-reported crime there is,” she said. The Collier Sheriff’s Office responded to 1,427 cases, the ones that were reported, in 2014, and since 1989, when the Shelter for Abused Women and Children (SAW) was established, they have dealt with over 68,000 victims of abuse.
To mark Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Shelter is sponsoring additional activities, including a “Purple Flash Mob” at Mercato the evening of October 21. To support the work of the Shelter for Abused Women and Children, a 501(c)3 organization, call the Shelter’s donor relations office at 239-775-3862.
Annual Moe’s Run benefits The Shelter
The Moe’s Corporate Run drew an impressive crowd of runners this year, raising funds to benefit The Shelter and Collier Harvest. The 3 mile run/walk was open to all employees and family of local corporations, businesses, government offices, and institutions. The goal of the Corporate Run is to encourage people to be physically active.
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Tamika Seaton on B103.9 Promoting the Purple Party
Shelter Senior Development Officer Tamika Seaton was a featured guest on B103.9 Radio Show Big Mama & The Wild Bunch, Oct. 10. Tamika discussed plans for the Purple Party, Friday, Oct. 14, at Paradise Wine. Click here for ticket information.
Dove release at The Shelter in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month
The Shelter would like to thank Bob and Claudia Klatz of White Doves of Naples for bringing six of their beautiful white doves to take part in a special Peace Ceremony for shelter residents, Oct. 11, 2016. Shelter Advocate Deb Alvarez shared a moving and motivational presentation before releasing the doves.
The dove is a symbol of peace and love and The Shelter wanted to inspire children and adults in emergency shelter to find peace in their life and be set free. Click photos for larger view.
DVAM butterflies set free at Vino Picasso, Oct. 9
Participants gathered at Vino Picasso in Naples, Oct. 9, 2016 to take part in a special painting session for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The theme of the painting was butterflies, one of The Shelter’s symbols for freedom and transformation. A portion of the funds from the event went to The Shelter.
Unmasking Domestic Violence
Through The Shelter’s Healing Arts Program, survivors are using yoga, breath work, creative writing, art therapy, meditation, drumming circles and more, to heal from the past, live fully in the present and plan for a life free from violence.
As part of October’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Healing Arts participants created masks and were invited to share their personal stories reflected in their artwork. Here are a few of the beautiful works created.
More of the masks will be on display at The Purple Party – Masquerade, set for 6:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 14, at Paradise Wine, 8965 Tamiami Trail North in Naples. Click here for tickets and more information.
I am Red
I am Red
Color of anger
Color of strength
Today – I am half of each
Anger at how one treated me
Anger that the court system abuses me still
But look at my other half of Red
Strength
I am strong
I will endure
My power belongs to Me
I am Red
Cathy – October 2016
The Shelter is newest Blue Zones Project worksite
Click here to read the Naples Daily News story
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NAPLES, Fla. – Sept. 6, 2016 – The Shelter for Abused Women & Children in Naples is taking a page from its own self-care playbook by becoming a Blue Zones Project Approved™ Worksite. The designation allows the 26-year old organization to demonstrate its commitment to community well-being, by helping its own employees and residents live longer, better lives. Blue Zones Project is a community-by-community, well-being improvement initiative designed to make healthy choices easier through permanent changes to environment, policy, and social networks.
“As role models to the community we serve, we want to practice self-care that furthers the well-being of our employees and enhances The Shelter’s ability to promote health among the individuals and families we serve,” said Linda Oberhaus, executive director. “Blue Zones Project has helped us do that by offering evidence-based practices that we could incorporate into our daily work lives.”
The Blue Zones Project designation is a natural fit with The Shelter’s mission to “prevent, protect and prevail” over domestic violence, Oberhaus said.
“The well-being of our community will increase when domestic violence is eradicated,” Oberhaus said. “When our Shelter employees feel good and have increased health and well-being, they are better equipped to provide the life-transforming services needed to assist survivors with increasing their own well-being.”
To become an approved worksite, The Shelter created a Blue Zones Project Committee to work toward increasing the well-being of the staff. After implementing Blue Zones Project practices, The Shelter became a smoke-free campus and many employees began wearing Fitbits to track their daily steps. By using the Fitbits, employees sought to improve their overall health, but in addition they stimulated social connectedness via friendly competitions to see who achieved the most steps each day and by walking together.
Brought to Southwest Florida by NCH Healthcare System, in collaboration with Healthways®, Inc. and Blue Zones®, LLC, Blue Zones Project is a vital part of Southwest Florida’s well-being improvement initiative that encourages changes to the community that lead to healthier options. For more information about Blue Zones Project – Southwest Florida, call 239-624-2312 or visit southwestflorida.bluezonesproject.com.
About Blues Zones Project
Blue Zones Project® is a community-led well-being improvement initiative designed to make healthy choices easier through permanent changes to a city’s environment, policy, and social networks. Established in 2010, Blue Zones Project is inspired by Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Fellow and New York Times best-selling author who identified five regions of the world—or Blue Zones—with the highest concentration of people living to 100 years or older. Blue Zones Project incorporates Buettner’s findings and works with cities to implement policies and programs that will move a community toward optimal health and well-being. Currently, 27 communities in seven states have joined Blue Zones Project, impacting more than 1.7 million Americans. The movement includes three beach cities in California, 15 cities in Iowa, the city of Fort Worth, and communities in Hawaii, Southwest Florida, and Oregon. For more information, visit bluezonesproject.com.