Goal #1 - Survivors' Support

VOTF East Notes:

****VOTF Merrimack Valley, MA Sponsors Support of Survivors Walk 2003
Reported by Stacey Quealey and Lauren Francseschi

Several of the Merrimack Valley VOTF Affiliates are sponsoring Support of Survivors Walk 2003. Walkers will gather pledges based on how many laps they can walk around the soccer field (approximately 1/4 mile per lap). It will be held at Merrimack College in Andover/North Andover, Massachusetts on June 29 from 1:00-5:00 pm. All pledges and donations will be given to the Survivors Appeal. The Survivors Appeal is a non-profit fund that was established so that financial supporters could make a "one-stop" donation. The tax deductible donations collected by the Survivors Appeal are distributed to survivor advocacy groups on an as-needed basis. For more information and to get your pledge sheet, please contact Lauren and Stacey at soswalk@yahoo.com. Contact us soon! Space is limited to 200 people!

****New Outreach to Survivors - The Lighthouse
Reported by Steve Sheehan, VOTF Survivors' Support Working Group

The Lighthouse, a non-denominational, non-profit resource center and office for victims of clergy abuse is the brain child of Phil and Lauren de Albuquerque and is located at 977 Bennington Street, East Boston, MA 02128

It is the first of its kind drop-in and call-in center where victims can make contact with other victim/survivors in a safe environment and hopefully will become a model for a series of such centers around the nation.

Phil and Lauren spent many months supporting and talking with victim/survivors and often wondered what God would want them to do to really help those who needed help the most. After talking with victims and advocates, they decided that what was truly needed was a center where victim/survivors could go to get the help that they required. This meant a place where survivors could congregate to support each other, where victims could call or drop in to receive advice on how to proceed to begin the healing process, and where victims could connect with advocates and other survivors in a safe environment.

The answer was an idea that is now a reality. The Lighthouse.

A store front on Bennington Street in East Boston has been converted into an office. This will be a haven for victims who have no place to turn and no one to talk to. Victims who contact The Lighthouse will find a fellow victim/survivor as their first contact who can assist them in securing the help they need (encouragement, support, belief, and therapy) through a network of volunteer survivors and advocates.

Programs to be offered at The Lighthouse include F.O.C.A.S., a program to support families of clergy abuse survivors and Beacons of Light, for individuals who might sponsor a victim to help him/her find peace on the healing journey.

The grand opening of The Lighthouse took place on June 8 - please see the next issue of the Vineyard for a report on what promises to be a groundbreaker in that The Lighthouse is the first office and resource center in the world for victims and survivors of clergy abuse. A nationally known roster of speakers and survivor support groups participated in the opening.

For information call, in Massachusetts 1(617) 567-7575; out-of state 1(877) LIGHT-22.

****Chamber Concert to Benefit Survivors
Contact Susan Jordan at spjordan@attbi.com or visit SNAP's website at www.survivorsnetwork.org

Plans are in the works for a chamber music concert to benefit SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests). The concert will be held at New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall, Boston, Massachusetts on Sunday, September 28, 2003 at 3:00 pm. Artists will include principals from the Boston Symphony Orchestra, New England Conservatory and the Longy School of Music performing works of Bach, Schumann, Barber, Loeffler and Messiaen.

****VOTF Winchester, MA Sponsors Coffeehouse Fundraiser
Reported by Bob Morris and Steve Sheehan

On Friday, May 30, our group sponsored a "Coffeehouse," all proceeds from which went to benefit the Survivors' Appeal.

The event was well attended with nearly 100 persons coming to share in the evening's activities. An excellent dessert and beverage buffet was provided and the leftover items were sold at a bake sale on Sunday to supplement the donations received.

Many people volunteered to provide us with musical entertainment. The evening opened with a Rock and Roll performance by a group of teenagers known as Ben, Greg, and Jake on guitar and drums. Holly Foskett entranced the audience with a vocal, classical suite featuring the "Habenera" from Bizet's Carmen and "Musetta's Waltz" from La Boheme The Saint Eulalia Choir, represented by Andy (Choir Director) and Joanne Smith, Deborah Moscosco, Dan O'Brien, Rachel Dionne, Christina Hurley, Camille Abruzzeze and Regina Pontes serenaded the audience with a medley of songs and a fine piano duet by the Smiths. JD (son of VOTF member Dee Ingalls) played and sang a selection of songs featuring his own "Weekend Warrior", a tribute to American military personnel. The program closed with a lovely set of lullabies played and sung by VOTF member Stacy Kowalczyk.

The evening ended with the drawing of raffle tickets where prizes were presented to the lucky ticket holders. An exceptional raffle donation was an oil painting done by Frank Braga. The proceeds from the raffle, added to the admission and refreshment donations totaled over $1400.00 to support the survivors of clergy abuse.

While thanks are due to many people who contributed to making this event a great success, very special thanks are due to Marge Bean, whose tireless and seemingly limitless dedication to supporting survivors has been an inspiration to all. Congratulations are also due to Joan Cote and Suzy Nauman.

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