Our monthly meeting will be held on Saturday 28th January at 10am sharp! See you there!

The location was perfect and we are grateful for being able to use it. The donations of food and gift items from the community and the volunteers were wonderful! The work put in by the volunteers who helped set up, serve and clean up was inspiring!

The assistance given by members of the Bahamas Harvest Church added so much to the success of the party.

We wish all our supporters and volunteers a happy Christmas and a safe, healthy and peaceful New Year!

Again, we appreciate the help you are giving and if you would like to discuss  any difficulties you are having, please do call Glendina on 328-0922 who will be happy to hear from you.

Meeting Minutes

 Saturday 19-November 2011

I.             Prayer

II.                  CARIMAN (Organization of men against DV)

They are hosting a workshop on Tuesday, November 22, 2011 from 9am – 4pm at the Ministry of Health and anyone who can attend to represent the Crisis Centre would be welcomed.

III.               Summit: 242 ALERT! LET’S STOP CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

Feedback that the event was well attended and successful.

Important to have the follow-up in place given the various suggestions made at the meeting.

We will be hosting a workshop in January related to incest.

 IV.                VAW: Violence Against Women Workshop

Being held on Friday, November 25, 2011 from 9am – 1p at Holy Cross Church Hall – Soldier Road.

Hosted by Women’s Bureau in conjunction with The Crisis Centre.

There will be presenters speaking from the following organizations:

Police, Courts, A&E, Social Services, and The Crisis Centre.

 V.                  Power Breakfast

 Saturday, November 26, 2011

Theme: Women: Building Strong, Secure, & Healthy Families.

British Colonial Hilton 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. $25

 VI.                Volunteer Training

To be held in February and September 2012

 VII.             Supplement

We were unable to do a supplement as we were only able to raise about $1200 and we needed $2000 to have a supplement. We will concentrate on this for our 30^th anniversary next year

IV.                Healthy Relationships Training

To be held December 1^st and 8^th at the J. Whitney Pinder Bldg., Collins Avenue  6pm – 8pm

We will be targeting all the Grade 12 classes in the Government schools.

We would like to take the training into to the Private Schools as well.

Suggestion made that we trademark/copyright the training and make it available for use at the various school (perhaps charge a fee)

V.           The Crisis Centre 30^th Anniversary

2012 will mark our 30^th year anniversary and we need to start the year off with a special event to promote the center.

Suggestion (Donna Nicolls): Hold an event where volunteers stand in Rawson Square with their hands bound and their mouths taped closed. Statistics and information related to Domestic Violence would be showcased around those women.

This was in response to the suggestion from Jasmine Harper to do something that will get free publicity.

These volunteers would serve as “Silent Witnesses” to domestic violence.

Suggestion (Tonette Minnis): Have volunteers wear T-Shirts mentioned last meeting with the slogan: “I will fight for food  Social Justice with The Crisis Centre logo on the back.

Date: TBD on a Wednesday in January whenever House of Assembly is in session.

Time: 8:30 – 10:30 / 9 – 10:30 a.m. / 12 – 2

Second date on the Saturday following at the Mall of Marathon.

Committee formed to work on the “Silent Witness” event.

Members:

Candice Thompson

Jasmine Harper

Rosella Armbrister

Lynette Bain

Caesara Smith

***Donna Nicolls

Tonette Minnis

First committee meeting scheduled for December 5, 2011 location TBD.

***Contact Donna Nicolls if you wish to be a part of this committee.

VI.             Parent Day

Suggestion: (Donna Nicolls) – We plan to hold an event in February where we have a “Parent Day” to teach parenting skills to parents and teaching them how to have healthy families.

Similar to something held in Jamaica Donna Nichols saw online. She will send the link out to everyone to view.  http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/VIDEO–Parent-Places-get-high-marks_10061525

We can partner with churches to help promote the event, the national Parenting initiative and Urban Renewal.

We will need to have a kiddie corner or some activity to help keep children engaged and occupied while parents are participating in the event.

Suggested date: February 8 or February 11^th

Committee formed related to planning of the event.

Members:

***Donna Nichols

Gwen Knowles

Jasmine Harper

Caesara Smith

Tonette Minnis

***Contact Donna Nicolls if you wish to be a part of this committee.

VII.             Walk-A-thon

Make this a part of the Healthy Families theme related to the Parent Day. See later notes for more details. Suggested to hold this event on a Saturday a couple of weeks following the Parent Day or a couple of weeks before.

Suggestion made to have the Anglican Church assist with planning the route.

Need to set a date and a distance for the route. Not too long maybe 3-4 miles.

Leila Green – She will organize the event.

Committee formed to organize the walk.

Members:

***Leila Green

Rosella Armbrister

Sandra Neville

Kelly March Lockhart-Gaillard

Initial meeting to be held – December 1, 2011 at the J. Colina Building at 6:00

***Contact Leila Green if you wish to be a part of this committee.

VIII.           Children’s Christmas Party

The party to be held Wednesday Dec. 7^th from 5:00 – 7:00 at 7-Day Adventist Church

Leila Green to inquire about the possibility of us using St. Matthews Church.

Need to write letters to the following:

RBDF – Regarding the use of their bus.

Police Station – For assistance

Hotels – For donations of turkey or ham (We will need 3 ham and 3 turkey)

SuperValue – Fruits Vegetables

Solomons – Candies and bags

Phils

Robinhood

McDonald’s – Juice

Bertha’s/Checkers – Peas and Rice

Caesera – Donate plates and Potato Salad

Gloria – Peas and Rice

Each child will receive a gift bag.

Kelly’s has promised us a donation not sure what the donation will consist of.

We may not have toys to give each child but they will go home with a goody bag.

 IX.               Board Elections

Director – Voted for Dr. Patterson to continue is this position.

Deputy Director – Donna Nicolls was nominated and voted into this position.

Treasurer –Karen Barlette was nominated and voted into this position.

Deputy Treasurer –  Tanya  Bevanswas nominated and voted into this position.

Secretary – Tonette Minnis was nominated and voted into this position.

Volunteer Coordinator Chair and Co-Chair – Rosemarie Olander and Dionne Pratt  were nominated and voted into this position.

Communication & Fundraising Chair – Candice Jones was nominated and voted into this position.

Committee Chair – Paulette Stubbs – was nominated and voted into this position.

Committee Chair – Kelly March Lockhart-Gaillard – was nominated and voted into this position.

Committee Chair – Sandra Neville – was nominated and voted into this position.

Committee Chair – LaGloria Davis – was nominated and voted into this position.

Committee Chair – Rosella Armbrister – was nominated and voted into this position.

Legal Advisor – Leila Green will continue in this capacity

First board meeting – January 16, 2011 6:00 p.m – Location TBD

Following meeting could be held every 3^rd Monday – Researching locations.

About 14 volunteers attended the meeting and several topics were discussed. The main one was the Children’s Christmas Party on the 7th December. The venue is yet to be determined. Letters will be written to hotels and business places requesting donations of food items to provide a full Christmas dinner for the children. Volunteers are also asked to assist.

The Peace Conference to be held next year is taking shape and a committee is being formed to discuss planning.

The Healthy Relationships Campaign will begin in the schools in January so we want to have the follow up training in two sessions. Thursday December 1^st,  at 6 – 8pm and Thursday December 8^th, 6 – 8pm. It is very important that volunteers interested in going into the schools to discuss topics such as teen relationship violence,  attend both sessions.

A Silent Protest will be held in January in Rawson Square and the Mall at Marathon and it is hoped at this time to launch the photos depicting domestic violence.

If you need any further information on any activities organized by the Centre or if you would like to assist in the office, please call Glendina on 328-0922. Thank you for your continued support.

 Training for new volunteers will be held early next year

• Crisis Centre Month – 242 Alert- Let’s Stop Child Sexual Abuse
  

A Summit will be held  at the   Emmaus Centre  from  8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on Thursday 10th November. Any volunteers who would like to attend should please call Glendina on 328-0922

T-Shirts made with 242 Alert: Let’s Stop Child Sexual Abuse on the back and the logo on the front.

• Supplement

The Centre needs $2000 to publish the Supplement and more funds are currently needed.

• VOW – Violence Against Women

International Domestic Violence awareness day is on the 25th November 2011 and the Women’s Bureau is holding  a half day workshop on Domestic Violence at Holy Cross on Soldier Road on 25th from 9 am – 1 pm.

• Violence Symposium

The  College of the Bahamas holding a Violence Symposium November 3rd  2011 8:30 – 4:00pm

• Green Ribbon Campaign

 The Centre needs volunteers to help with making presentations in the schools. Training will be given to anyone interested in assisting. Volunteers would make presentations regarding bullying.

• Children’s Christmas Party

The Centre wants to hold a Christmas party for the children this year as we could not last year due to the move from Knowles House, preferably on the 7th or 14th Decembe

• Board Elections

To be held at the November meeting.

Positions available: Director, Deputy Director, Secretary, Treasurer and 4 additional positions. People who would like to be on the Board should let the Centre know.

These notes will be updated with further information once received.

As November is Crisis Centre Month  and we are focusing on Child Sexual Abuse, this video shows how children are primed to become victims. It shows too the universality of child sexual abuse…..it happens everywhere.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g69AB5F59Wk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Some of the plans are to hold a Summit and to produce a newspaper supplement.