I had the privilege of representing Family Violence Project in accepting a Community Service Award from the Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce at its annual dinner in the Augusta Civic Center.

I stood in for those staff and board members who were part of the record-breaking 950 people attending, and those who could not attend because they were covering our crisis line, working in our shelter or just needed a break from the very hard work that we do. We are honored by this recognition, and gratified that the chamber gave us an opportunity to shine the light on domestic violence.

Actually, all of the chamber award winners are community service winners. The businesses that add to the local workforce, the benefactors that support local charities and those that do both all have a common thread. Each and every award winner is striving to improve the community for those of us who live, work and play in the Kennebec Valley, to make our community “the way life should be.”

I think we all can agree that domestic violence is not “the way life should be,” but, together, we can make this a community with zero tolerance for this scourge. For more information, visit our website, www.familyviolenceproject.org.

Thanks to Peter Thompson and the Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce for doing their part, and thanks to everyone else for doing theirs.

Deborah Shepherd, executive director

Family Violence Project

Copy the Story Link