SAFE celebrates 25 years of service in Bristol Bay

KAREN CARPENTER

December 06, 2007 at 9:13AM AKST

For The Bristol BayTimes

It has been said that it takes a village to raise a child. The same adage applies to support and nurture of organizations such as Safe and Fear Free Environment.

For 25 years SAFE has officially had its doors open to victims of violence and their families in the Bristol Bay area.

SAFE started in what is now the Alano Club building with two staff. Today we have 23 full-time and 13 part-time staff, including two village advocates in Togiak and Ekwok.

On Saturday, Nov. 10, SAFE hosted an event to honor our community supporters and volunteers.

Even today, domestic violence and sexual assault is not easy to talk about. However 25 years ago, it was never spoken of and yet it was a fact for many women and children.

There were women in Dillingham who addressed this issue, and they did not back down when people said this is a "family matter" and "none of our business." It took courage to speak aloud about the abuse they knew was occurring.

These are women we call the "mothers of the movement." Recognized at the celebration banquet were Barbara McCauley, Janie Hill (posthumously), Carolyn Hoseth, Ena Crow, Linda Rabideau, Marilyn Rosene, Jeanne Timmerman and Johanna Bouker.

Three people who have dedicated their lives to community wellness, safety and dignity for all residents of the Bristol Bay area were awarded lifetime achievement awards: Tom Tilden, DeeDee Bennis and Linda Rabideau.

Employers and agencies have without fail offered assistance: Blanche Kallstrom, Janice Shilanski, Bill Miller and his crew at N&N, AC, Bristol Express, Kathy McLinn, Dorothy Larsen, Ocalina Micolie, Rachel Muir, Dan Pasquerello and Joanne Armstrong.

What we do could not be done without the support of our partners and families. Special recognition went to Two for One couples who each have given so much: Gordan and Susan Isaacs, Jim and Eva Wallman, Myron and Becky Porter, E.J. Essics and Sarah Lu Bradley and Joanna Ruby (posthumously) and Alice Ruby.

SAFE would like to pay special recognition to our frontline advocates, who keep the door to the shelter and Anana's house open: Dinah Backford, Ariel Johnson, Crystal Nixon-Luckhurst, Mary Jane Kasayulie, Alberta Hoseth, Ocolena Micolie, Gail Johnson, Michelle Scholtz, Shanna Schroeder, Sarah Tunguing, Courtney Carty and Hailey, Ena Crow, Natasha Nielsen, Jane Gottschalk, Alisha Folsom, Ricky Lind, Norman Hiratsuka, Stacy Bai, and village advocates Carrie Burks and Anna Akelkok.

We are fortunate to have our hard-working administrative staff: Lisa Haggblom, Summar Olson, Sonny Leveque, Shari Simpson, Tina Garner, Kristine Norbert, Melissa Brothers, Deanna Hardin, Tricia Ward, Holly Wysocki, Rebekah Fonkert, Karen McCambly, Karen Carpenter and Ginger Baim.

We can tell you that this event could not possibly have been the success that it was without N&N Market, Matt Killpack and the junior class of Dillingham High School, Rod Rau, principal of the Seventh-Day Adventist school, Patty Luckhurst, Hank Boggs, Phillip Baumgartner, Duane Olson and his band.

Dillingham is one of the greatest communities in Alaska. We are all working together for the common good of all of our residents.

It is apparent that this belief is at the forefront of all our actions and thoughts. Bristol Bay can become a model for wellness, hope, safety and justice for all of Alaska to follow.

Karen Carpenter serves as the outreach and training coordinator for Safe and Fear Free Environment.