Freeman Center, Health Group Set Global Gala Fundraiser
 Photo courtesy Siobahn McNally
Women and children all over the globe are touched by violence.
|
The problem, according to Janis Broderick, director of the Elizabeth Freeman Center, is lack of awareness. With that in mind, the center is teaming up with local representatives from Circle of Health International to raise money and awareness for both organizations.
The two groups will host a Global Gala and fundraiser in honor of the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day this Saturday, March 6, from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. at Jae's Spice on North Street.
"This is a whole new collaboration for us," Broderick said in a phone interview. "It's really great to link together the Elizabeth Freeman center which provides services locally with COHI. There are clearly related links building issues of domestic violence and violence against women – homelessness, joblessness, teen pregnancy, they all come from the same place in social history. All cases have similar roots, no matter what country you live in. We really hope to promote awareness of this issues in different parts of the community."
Broderick herself, who has given several talks and workshops on domestic violence, said it has taken her three years of working with clients who utilize the center to grasp the enormity of the problem, specifically its pervasiveness.
"You don't really grasp the extent of it until you're working with it day to day," she said. "I've been giving talks and lecture for three years, but it wasn't until this year that I was able to grasp the depth of the problem and how it permeates different segments of society. With this fundraiser we're not only reaching out to the Berkshires. It's our responsibility to bring our expertise to the table."
Dr. Siobahn McNally, a pediatrician at the Neighborhood Health Center as well as the chairman of COHI's board of directors, has recently brought her expertise to Haiti. She said her experience with COHI has brought the issue of violence and health very close to home.
"I went to Haiti shortly after the earthquake," she said. "Our main focus was rapid needs assessment for women in the refugee camps on the border of the Dominican Republic. We provided direct services initially, but we realized that we didn't want to be swooping in and swooping out. We wanted to encourage sustainable access for women. As horrible as these disasters are, they are also an opportunity to make connections and increase visibility on these issues."
The idea for a fundraiser began with a Facebook post that McNally put up inquiring about what to do for International Women's Day. Her friend and fellow doctor, Nina Molin, a physician with Canyon Ranch and principal of Ananda Health Center in Lenox, saw the post and the Global Gala was born.
"This is the first time that we put this together," Molin said. "It's a local revolution and a world revolution. We really want to support the Elizabeth Freeman center as it does so many things for women and children in the area. The issues regarding health and violence against women are more than physical. They are psychological, ideological and economic. These are all concerns."
While the three women are not sure what the fundraiser will bring in in terms of a dollar amount, Broderick said that if awareness spreads, then donations and growth will be soon to follow.
"One of the common misconceptions that we are dealing with is that Berkshire County is a safe place to raise our children," she said. "Yet we have a 40 percent higher rate of restraining orders than anywhere else in the state. Two towns in the county have the highest rates of child abuse. That's why this is a 24/7 operation. There is no possible way that we cannot answer the phone. We're staying out there looking for the funds to hold on. Year to year, you never know what you're going to get."
Tickets for Saturday's gala are $50 or $75 and can be purchased at Globaldancegala.eventbrite.com. The event includes Asian tapas, a cash bar and music by DJ Fern. "Bold, fun, frilly, festive attire" is encouraged. For more information, contact Molin at 413-822-0825.
