In less than a week, a very important event is not only coming to Frankfort and Clinton County, but to the world itself.
Beginning Sunday, November 25 and lasting until Monday, December 10, the Zonta Club of Frankfort will join others worldwide with the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence throughout the City of Frankfort and Clinton County. The significance of those dates are huge because November 25 is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and December 10 is Human Rights Day.
“This is just to bring this to the attention of our community,” said Zonta Co-President Nancy Harshbarger. “It happens 365 days a year. This is just a period of time that we bring this to light and hopefully it can help someone out there.”
Last Thursday, Frankfort Mayor Chris McBarnes kicked off the local celebration as he issued a proclamation to raise awareness against gender based violence as he has for the past three years.
“There’s not a better cause,” said McBarnes. “Gender based violence in our community and society in general against women is a huge issue and its something we need not forget about. I think you have a lot of survivors that are standing in the shadows that maybe are afraid to come out, afraid to ask for help and we want to stand in solidarity with Zonta and say we’re here for them.”
Joining the Zonta members dressed in their bright orange shirts and McBarnes in the celebration last week was Frankfort Police Chief Troy Bacon and Frankfort Police Officer Jeremy Rushton, who is also a School Resource Officer for the Community Schools of Frankfort.
Zonta Co-President Jeni Royalty said this period of time is so important to our community.
“People live in the shadows as Mayor McBarnes mentioned from fear of domestic violence or retribution from their partners or spouses and this is just one way that we can bring awareness of this issue in our community to the members of our community and hopefully protect people and prevent people from being victims,” Royalty said.
Zonta member Debbie Graves said the group helps financially with several other agencies.
“We have a chicken noodle dinner every year and from that money, we give back to the community,” said Graves. “One of the houses we do now is the Sober Living House. We give to the YWCA in Lafayette and all for women who have abused or neglected or one thing or another. We’ve been doing this for a long time.”
‘Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women’ is a Zonta International campaign to raise awareness of and increase actions to end violence against women and girls around the world. The campaign began in November 2012.
“As a community, I think it’s important to address this issue and let those know out there that are going through this know that we stand with them and it’s something we need to continue to combat,” said McBarnes.