Kate do Forno hopes to plant the seeds of support and understanding this spring.
The executive director of Chatham-Kent Victim Services said Garden of Giving is a spring-themed gala that will celebrate strength and resilience, but also educate. Keynote speaker at the June 13 event is Dr. Lori Haskell, a Chatham native, Order of Canada recipient, and a renowned authority on the neurobiology of trauma.
do Forno said Haskell is “one of the best speakers I have seen.”
Haskell’s work aids police in learning how to treat victims of violence so they are not re-traumatized, do Forno said.
do Forno said non-profit groups are increasingly seeing a need to seek outside revenue streams to augment government funding. And the gala is one option.
“It’s really about the whole picture,” do Forno said of fundraising. “We need to grow and need to support the community the way we need to.”
For Victim Services, community needs are growing.
do Forno said domestic violence and sexual assaults peaked during the pandemic. As we came out of it, the numbers dipped, but they are on the rise again.
“People are angry right now. It’s easy to be caught up in the world of anger and the 24-hour news cycle with what is going on down south,” she said. “We’re seeing it play out in our communities, our schools.”
Victim Services also provides additional community support. do Forno pointed out the success of Project Lifesaver, where a resident wears a bracelet with a unique radio frequency. If that person goes missing, police can quickly discover their location.
“Project Lifesaver launched about eight months ago. It requires manpower to run it. It’s been hugely successful,” do Forno said. “The bracelets are for people at risk of wandering. If they did wander off, police can hone in on that frequency. Usually, they find the person within 30 minutes.”
Victim Services hope to sell between 150 and 200 tickets for the Garden of Giving, which features dinner, dancing and a silent auction as well as the address by Haskell, and a talk by Cristina Ruscica, a local practitioner and wellness advocate who will discuss harnessing the subconscious for healing.
Tickets for the event at Retro Suites are $100 each and are available at https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/chatham-kent-victim-services/events/gardenofgiving/
do Forno would like to see the Garden of Giving become an annual event.
“I’m excited about this. As an executive director, we don’t just want this to be a new gala for the community. We want it to be a celebratory event…in springtime, around growth, healing and resilience,” she said.
do Forno said organizers are also looking for sponsors, as well as organizations willing to donate items for the silent auction. To do so, reach out at 519-436-6630 or by email at [email protected].
