By REVIS BLAYLOCK
NEA Town Courier
The Haven of Northeast Arkansas, Inc. held its annual candlelight vigil at the 1st Christian Church Prayer Garden in Blytheville on Oct. 1 kicking off Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Phyllis McClendon, director, thanked everyone for promoting the importance of domestic violence awareness.
“It is a vital component to our program and I appreciate all of the volunteers and the hundreds of hours they have given since we opened our outreach program in 2019,” McClendon said. “I work with a team of about 40 volunteers. Volunteers are there to help set up at locations, set the PA system, work in the office taking crisis calls and more. If it were not for the volunteers, I don’t know how we could do it. The volunteers will be moving the Silent Witness exhibition to different locations throughout the month. It will be at the Osceola Farmers Market, St. John Full Gospel Church, Mississippi County Library and Osceola Police Department lawn all in Osceola. Then it will be moved to Blytheville to the Mississippi County Library and the ANC Student Services lobby.
A community and law enforcement purple ribbon campaign and proclamation day was held at the Mississippi County Courthouse in Osceola on Wednesday afternoon.
McClendon also expressed her appreciation to the First Christian Church for allowing them to gather at the beautiful prayer garden for the candlelight vigil.
Offering prayers at the vigil were Willa Brown with Zion Chapel in Luxora; Abby Rodgers of Pathway in Blytheville; and Chris Bennett with The Naked Truth Ministry in Gosnell.
McClendon said her staff and volunteers are people who really care. The shelter has been open for 28 years.
“When we are at capacity it hurts, but we try to refer them to a neighboring shelter,” McClendon said. “The nearest ones are in Wynne, Jonesboro and West Memphis. They are only a phone call away and we appreciate them.”
The Traveling Coffee Grounds named The Haven as their recipient for the October donation. Each month the business donates ten percent of their sales to a non-profit organization.
The candles will be on each evening at the prayer garden in memory of those who have lost their lives to domestic violence. McClendon encourages everyone to drive by and check it out.
McClendon also asked for everyone to participate in Purple Thursday on Oct. 17. They ask everyone to wear purple. They will be driving around the area taking pictures. She also asked for citizens to take a selfie on that day and tag The Haven on Facebook.
Domestic violence is real and the stats prove it. McClendon said the Silent Witness Project brings awareness and remembrance to those who have lost their lives from domestic violence.