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Wednesday August 8, 2001 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER B3 out to teach teens about abuse By Wilma Blokhuis BEAVER FOCUS EDITOR Speak Up, Speak Out. The Women's Centre is looking for 12 women who have survived violence in their lives and are willing to talk about it. It can be any kind of violence - sex ual, verbal or physical, and the women can come from any racial, ethnic and religious background. The main criteria is to be able to tell their personal story of abuse and how they overcame the trauma, to groups of high school students. "We need women who have dealt with their abuse, and can say `been there, done that,'" says Karen Brown, program co-ordinator of Speak Up, Speak Out. "The Women's Centre saw a need to have a violence prevention and educa tion program," said Brown, noting Speak Up, Speak Out, is funded by the Ontario Women's Directorate. The volunteer speakers will address students, both male and female, in Grades 9 to 12, at high schools across Halton. They will be made available at no cost to the schools. The speaking program will begin in September, and continue to March 2002 . The aim is to teach students - espe cially those who are suffering from vio lence at home - that abuse can be over come and that "there are options and ways to stop the cycle of abuse." Brown believes schoolyard bullying is often the result of the aggressor suf fering from harassment and abuse at home. "We want to give kids options not to be abusers, and not to be victims. The cycle of abuse has to end. We want to give them the tools." The high school presentations will run about 90 minutes and will allow time for questions during an interactive discussion. The volunteer speakers will also supply printed information. Brown, a married mother of two boys aged 9 and 10, ran a counseling business, Angel's Touch, prior to com ing to the Women's Centre. She spe cialized in group and individual coun seling for those who have suffered from abuse. Brown launched Angel's Touch in 1993 after overcoming her own experi ences with abuse. " I was abused from about age three until my late teens," she reflects, adding her husband was very supportive "in my healing" to the point where all feel ings of bitterness towards her abusers have washed away. "I didn't deal with my emotions from the abuse until after I was married and had my two small boys. They gave me my motivation not be an abuser." Brown has already recruited some volunteers, women like herself who have overcome and "dealt with" their abuse, women who won't break down Women's Centre break The Women's Centre at Hopedale will be closing for two weeks, from Aug. 13 to 24, for the summer break. It will reopen on Aug. 27. as they share their stories. The volunteer speakers will receive eight weeks of training. After Speaking Up, Speaking Out concludes in March, Brown hopes these women will continue as volunteer speakers on behalf of the Women's Centre. "I would like to set up a speakers bureau and have women speaking to groups, companies, and in schools. "Speak Up, Speak Out is just the beginning," continues Brown, who is at the centre every Monday and Tuesday. "This can blossom into a lot of dif ferent areas. "And hopefully, in the future, we will be able to incorporate men, because there are a lot of men who have been abused." She would also like to see this pro gram expanded to include sending speakers into elementary schools. If interested in volunteering for Speak Up, Speak Out, call the Women's Centre at 905-847-9104. Schools inter ested in booking speakers may call the same number. Photo by Barrie Erskine Karen Brown Charity run in Bronte forproposed Rebound Centre (Continued from page B1) "Our intellect is there, but not the speed," says Andrew in explaining why many childhood cancer survivors are not employable. Today, the Sprawsons have ambitious plans to open a rehabilitation centre, but rather than ask for a `hand-out,' they approached a local service club asking for a do-it-yourself `hand-up.' The plans include building the Rebound Centre, a drop-in rehabilitation centre with a workshop, cottage industry, small restaurant, retail store, and living space - 8 to 16 apartment units, on Kerr Street kitty comer from Prince Charles Place. "It's close to the GO Train and close to Frank's Food Basics. "We want to build the Rebound Centre to help fellow survivors deal with the consequences of their treatment, to help them live in the present and to the fullest, so they can took to the future with greater anticipation," says Andrew. "Our theme is 'thrive and not just survive.'" "It will be a place where our skills can be honed," Andrew continues. "We survivors have intellect and can produce marketable items we can sell." Products and services that can be offered at the Rebound Centre include crafts, wooden furniture and toys, sewing of simple fashions, and horticul ture - a small organic greenhouse can be set up. And, its restaurant could serve soups, sandwiches and desserts. The cottage industry aspect would allow survivors to make products at home and sell them at the centre's retail store. "Our aim is to help survivors build self-esteem and be part of society," says Andrew. "Most of us are looking for jobs and we're always being denied." Adds Jill, "it's a place to boost the self-esteem of adult survivors of childhood cancer and give hope to other people by (encouraging them to) attend conferences and family camps to show there's hope for families going through childhood cancer. They need to know they're not alone." The Rebound Centre will also offer activities to build survivors' feelings of self worth, help devel op relationships, and offers life skills mini cours es. Plus there will be a drop-in centre to maintain new found friendships. To achieve this goal, the Sprawsons are embarking on an ambitious fundraising goal start ing by organizing the Bronte Harbour Oakville Run fo r Rebounders 2001 on Aug. 25. They've asked the Rotary Club of Oakville West for sup port. Enter Bill Ford, a Halton Regional Police inspector and Rotarian, who was impressed by a presentation the Sprawsons made recently to his Rotary Club. "I was touched by their story," says Ford. "Their attitude is `we're happy to be alive.' "There's no tone of resentment. They only want the opportunity to help themselves. They impressed us by not coming to us for a hand out like so many groups do. They want information on how to raise their own funds." "Ridden with cancer as infants and toddlers, these children were exposed to massive amounts of concentrated chemotherapy and radiation treat ment," says Ford of the Rebounders' 60 members across Canada. "The treatment was generally concentrated around the patient's heads and/or spinal columns (for those who had brain tumours). While the treatment was necessary to save their lives, their physical and mental development was altered through radiation poisoning. Now adults, these survivors have been left unemployable. "We were told they are not eligible for (finan cial) assistance from other groups such as the Canadian Cancer Society, because they no longer suffer from cancer - they suffer from the cure," says Ford. Ford is also a member of the Royal Canadian Legion, Bronte Branch, "and I got them involved." And, he contacted The Running Company, a local retailer which supports charity runs and also organizes its own running groups. The run, a twilight event, will start and finish at the Bronte Legion, 79 Jones St. A 5K Run starts at 7:30 p.m.. and a 2K Walk will leave shortly afterwards, said Ford. The run will go east on Marine Drive, south on East Street, west on Ontario Street, north on Bronte Road, east on Lakeshore Road, south on Third Line, west on Marine Drive. The route will be completed to make up five kilometres. The walk will follow a route along the Waterfront Trail and bike-path. There will be refreshments and a barbecue at the end of the race at the Bronte Legion. Registrations are being accepted at The Running Company, 118 Thomas St., 905-8151952, or visit www.therunningcompany.com. Entry fees are $25 in advance and $30 on the day of the event. T-shirts will be given to the first 250 runners. Between 300 and 400 runners are expect ed to participate. Prizes include $450 in cash prizes for top fin ishers. There will also be participation and draw prizes in Saucony merchandise valued at $4,000. For information about Rebounders Canada, visit www.rebounders.org, or call 905-338-1530. Every year, the 5000 volunteers of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary (CCGA) participate in more than 1700 search and rescue missions, resulting in over 200 lives saved. Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary 200 Kent St, 5th Floor Ottawa, Ontario K1A0E6 To reach all those that need help, we need your financial support. For more information, call (613) 991-5714 or visit us at www.ccga-gcac.org Registered Charity 87029 8494 RR 0001