INDIANAPOLIS — The staff at Beacon of Hope Center for Women is busily preparing for activities commemorating October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Since the domestic abuse center opened its doors two years ago it has helped 2,015 people.
“It has amazed us — the number we have helped is overwhelming,” Executive Director Terry Mooresaid.
On July 27, the center marked its second year of operation with a celebration and evening of thanksgiving at the Country Club of Indianapolis.
“Donors, volunteers, and staff had a wonderful evening of remembering,” she said. “We also invited new acquaintances who are getting on board to help.”
Beacon of Hope is a grassroots organization promoting safety, support, and education to victims of domestic violence in a Christ-centered environment with a base of 100 volunteers.
“Our vision is to provide transitional housing to women and children who are ready for the transition from an emergency facility into self-supporting lives,” Moore said.
She and her five-member board of directors are in the midst of collecting items and looking for donors who may have property or a building that may serve as transitional housing.
“We’ve had several donations already,” she said. “We’ve had to get a new storage unit to hold the items. We are hoping to have a place with 20 to 30 apartments.”
The center also has a thriving foster pet program where they help people find a place for their animals to live while the families flee domestic violence situations.
“We’ve helped to foster 15 pets,” Moore said. “People often will not leave a bad situation because they don’t want to leave their pets behind. We have a beautiful dog in foster care right now that is having a ball.”
To help fund their projects and their vision for transitional housing, Beacon of Hope is continually holding fundraising activities in and around the Westside community. The organization’s next event, Pampering for a Purpose, is this Friday.
“This year it’s bigger than it’s ever been before,” Moore said. “We have 10 message therapists there.”
Pampering for a Purpose is from 7 to 11 p.m. Oct. 7 at the Wyndham Indianapolis West Hotel, 2544 Executive Drive.
Tickets are $ 40 per person. Anyone age 18 and older is invited to attend. The ticket price includes access to all pampering stations and a dessert bar, as well as a door prize entry.
There will be chair massages, mini-manicures, makeovers, hairstyling by Tyler Mason, stylists for the Indianapolis Colts Cheerleaders, eyebrow waxing, laughter yoga, jewelry making, yoga, emotional tapping stress techniques, scrapbooking, Zito Compass nutritional testing, eyebrow threading, and more.
In addition to the fun, there will be a somber candlelight vigil to remember those who have lost their lives to domestic violence during the past year. The guest speaker is Dawn Brumley, mother of Brittany March who was murdered at the age of 18 by her abuser.
There will be a variety of door prizes from participating sponsors.
The attire for the evening of pampering is comfortable clothing. Those attending are welcome to bring yoga mats.
Space is limited. To reserve tickets, call the center at 731-6131 between the hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or call 201-8389. For more information, visit the website at www.beaconofhopeindy.org and click on the event page.
Handbags for Hope, a live and silent purse auction and luncheon, is set for noon Nov. 12 at the Country Club of Indianapolis. Purse registration will run from 11 to 11:50 a.m.
Cost for this event is $35 per person or $350 for table of 10.
Participants are asked to bring a new or gently used purse filled with common items that women like to use every day. Suggested items include, but are not limited to, chocolate, gift cards, lotion, candles, nail polish, books, makeup, cash, and Christmas decor.
To make reservations for this event, call 731-6131.
brenda.holmes@flyergroup.com
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