Help in a handmade bag: Crisis kits for victims of violence
Emergency care kits for children developed by DOVE (Delta Opposes Violence Everywhere) coordinating Committee.
Email
Print
Letter to Editor
Share
Updated: December 02, 2009 3:27 PM
The colourful cloth drawstring bags with the cheerful patterns contain the essentials for people fleeing abuse.
For adults, men and women, that includes a disposable razor, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo soap and socks.
For children, depending on their age, it means diapers, bottles, apple juice drinks, colouring books and teddy bears.
The bags were handmade by volunteers from donated cloth and their contents were donated, too, by various businesses.
So far, 150 emergency care kits have been distributed to local assistance agencies in Delta and Surrey by the DOVE (Delta Opposes Violence Everywhere) co-ordinating committee.
"As we use them up, we will continue to make more," said committee chair Jill Colley, a family violence intervention worker with Delta Police Victim Services.
Colley says the kits are for people who have to relocate suddenly without notice for safety reasons.
DOVE's announcement of the new initiative was made during the week leading up the 20th anniversary of the Montreal massacre.
The National day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women was formally established by the federal government in 1991 to remember the Dec. 6, 1989 murders of 14 young women at l'École Polytechnique de Montréal.
Four men and ten women were also wounded during a 20-minute shooting spree by a man who claimed he was "fighting feminism" before he shot himself dead.
The DOVE committee is hosting displays on Friday, December 4 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Scottsdale Mall in the 7100 block of 120 Street in North Delta and at Tsawwassen Town Center Mall in the 1200 block of 56 Street in South Delta.
Other displays will be set up in four secondary schools in Delta in an effort to educate youth on the issues of relationship violence.
The DOVE committee represents multiple community agencies including Deltassist, Delta Police Victim Services, Delta Mental Health, DIVERSEcity, Options, Family Justice Services, the Delta School District and Delta/Surrey Community Corrections.
If you want to help with the kits, visit the Dove website at www.deltassist.com/dove.html, or contact Jill Colley by emailing jcolley@deltapolice.ca or phoning 604 940-5019 to reach her at Delta Police Victim Services.
dferguson@surreyleader.com
Vigils for the Montreal murders are being held at Kwantlen Polytechnic University campuses this week. A ceremony will be held at the Cloverdale location (5500 180 St.) on Thursday, Dec. 3 at noon and the Surrey campus (12666 72 Ave.) on Friday, Dec. 4 at noon.
