Naples Daily News: Immokalee Peace Fair celebrates 'love, equality & freedom'

By Alexi C. Cardona
Photos by Liam James Doyle

At its 18th annual Peace Fair in Immokalee, the Shelter for Abused Women and Children asked attendees what peace means to them.

Some wrote on Post-It notes that family and their children were their peace. Others wrote love, equality and freedom. One person wrote that there was peace in wishing well for others.

These messages were placed on posters hanging from fences at the Immokalee Sports Complex during Monday afternoon’s event, which was organized by the shelter. The Peace Fair rounded out the shelter’s events for Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

“Peace starts at home,” said Linda Oberhaus, the shelter’s executive director and CEO. “If you’re not safe in your own home, no one in the community will be safe.”

Children played on a bounce house and pet a miniature pony. Students from area schools painted pumpkins and did other crafts. A dozen white doves were released at the event.

Shelter representatives told attendees that sometimes people think finding peace is dependent on other people or factors outside our control. They encouraged people to think about what makes them feel at peace and make the changes around them that are necessary to achieve that goal.

Several community partners, including the PACE Center for Girls and the Southwest Florida Chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse, were at the event to teach people about their resources.
The bikers act as guardians for abused children. They form friendships with kids who might be afraid to testify in court against their abusers and show up when a kid calls, even if it’s at 3 a.m. because the child had a nightmare.

“Our goal is to empower children to not be afraid of the world in which they live and to give them a sense of security after experiencing abuse,” said Chico, the president of the bikers’ Southwest Florida chapter. For their safety and that of the kids they work with, members don’t provide their real names, he said.
The shelter helps children and women who experienced domestic violence or human trafficking.

A new domestic violence shelter is set to break ground in Immokalee in summer 2018. Shelter spokeswoman Kaydee Tuff said they are about halfway to their fundraising goals. The new shelter will have an entire wing dedicated to helping human trafficking victims, she said. The shelter opened its Immokalee office in 1997.

“It’s important for us to be here and for people in this community to know the resources that are available for them if they need help,” Oberhaus said.
Anyone who is experiencing domestic violence and needs help can call the Shelter for Abused Women and Children at 1-800-500-1119.