4th Annual WAV Luncheon

Friday May 18, 2018

Friday May 18, 2018

11:30am – 12:00pm Check-in & networking

12:00pm – 1:00pm Lunch & program

Westin Virginia Beach Town Center

4535 Commerce Street

Virginia Beach, VA 23462

Interested in sponsoring a table or attending as a guest?
Please e-mail Eva Fuze:
evaf@samaritanhouseva.org
or call 757-323-6164 for more information.

Table and event sponsorship starts at $1,000.

“Audrey offered a message of hope, courage, perseverance, and gratitude. She is an amazing woman who not only helps victims of violence with recovery and healing, but she provides a sense of resiliency for everyone dealing with challenging life circumstance. She was a joy to be around and everyone loved her. She has a gift to share with the world.”
– Krista Heeren-Graber, South Dakota Network Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault Executive Director

Join us for our 4th Annual WAV (Women Against Violence) Luncheon on May 18th to take a stand against violence and come together as a community to RISE UP and hear survivors share their stories of hope and healing. At last year’s luncheon, we hosted New York Times bestselling author Janine Latus, who shared her gripping story of how intimate partner violence took the life of her sister, and nearly killed her as well. We also heard from Melinda Goodwin, a board member and former client of Samaritan House, who is a true testimony to the hope and healing that is possible after escaping the grips of violence. We were so appreciative to have received so much support from local businesses in the community who sponsored last year’s event and helped make it a great success! Thank you to everyone who attended.

Special Guest: Audrey Mabrey

After being set on fire by her estranged husband in 2009, Audrey vowed to be a voice for others and made it her life mission to create the change she wants to see in the world. She is a “sur-thriver,” global speaker, educator and advocate against domestic violence/sexual assault. She has appeared on Dr. Phil, Anderson Cooper, 48 Hours, I Survived, Who the Bleep did I Marry, Kiss of Death, Inside Edition, The Doctors, and Maury Povich as an advocate, survivor, and woman of inspiration. Additionally, she has been the face and voice of two public service announcements for ending domestic violence and served as the Board President for Break the Silence Against Domestic Violence.

You can read more about Audrey at her website here.

We look forward to hosting Ms. Mabrey for this year’s luncheon and hearing more of her story of how she transformed from victim to survivor.

At this year’s luncheon we are also very excited to share some new updates and projects we have been working on. Be sure to bring your cell phone to the event!

RSVP Today

Dear Friends,

Domestic violence permeates all of our circles. It’s the one thing that isn’t ‘safe’ to talk about with even our closest friends and confidants. But talking about it is what we need to do to remove the shameful stigma and open the door for change.

So many of you have asked what else can you do to help aside from your generous donations. With this regular communication I’m hoping we’ll provide you with the information you need to go out and tell our story. Samaritan House is a huge organization. Too many people think we are just a small women’s shelter, when in truth we have 11 houses and last year alone served over 400 families shattered by violence. Too many think we only take care of abused women. Did you know we provided over 26,000 meals to more children last year than many of the largest children’s charities in Hampton Roads? Our story is huge and we need to tell it.

I am committed to getting as much information in your hands as possible throughout the year in this newsletter. Please use it to help tell our story and help recruit more leaders like yourself who will speak out against violence. Together we can beat it.

With great appreciation for you and your continued support.

Warmest regards,

Sarah Golden | Chair WAV

Who are the Women Against Violence (WAV)?

Women Against Violence, (WAV) is a select group of community leaders and professionals committed to supporting Samaritan House’s mission to stop violence; whether domestic, sexual or human trafficking.

Mission: To engage professional women through philanthropy, networking, service and fellowship for a common goal of ending domestic violence.

Purpose: The purpose of Women against Violence (WAV) is to assist Samaritan House in educating the community about the resources and services offered through Samaritan House. WAV functions as a fundraising and volunteer service group.

Goals:

Encourage women to support Samaritan House through philanthropy.
Inspire women to serve as leaders in the community acting as a voice for Samaritan House.
Start a movement that challenges domestic violence stereotypes and increases public awareness.
Mentor young women professionals to engage and give through acts of service.

Statistics:

1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have been the victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner.
41% of HOMICIDES in Virginia are related to intimate partner violence
75% of abused women try to commit suicide
Every 30 seconds someone is the victim of human trafficking in the U.S.
Slavery was abolished 150 years ago, yet there are more people in slavery today than any other time in our history.
Last year the trafficking industry generated $32 billion…More than Nike, Google and Starbuck’s COMBINED.
The impact on children is devastating – children witnessing violence are twice as likely to be abusers and or victims of domestic violence

Click here to download our latest newsletter: WAV Newsletter Vol.1