Charleston Believes

By Emily Randisi

 

 

On Saturday, April 18, hundreds of supporters visited the Dee Norton Lowcountry Children’s Center tent in Marion Square for its “Charleston Believes” event. The weather was perfect and the square was packed with people attending the first Farmer’s Market of the season. Parents and children gathered around the tent and enjoyed free face painting, butterfly arts and crafts, candy and doughnuts. A handful of Charleston police officers were also there to help fingerprint the kids. Even with so many fun activities going on, the crowd seemed to gravitate around the table where kids ages 6 to 12 were invited to color butterflies and enter them into a design contest.

 

The butterfly billboard design contest has been one of the most creative elements implemented into this year’s “I believe…” campaign. The design competition has successfully enabled the organization to interact with its audience by inviting kids to draw their best artistic rendition of the campaign’s mascot. The winning butterfly design will be featured on the organization’s billboard sponsored by 95 SX overlooking Interstate 26.

 

The “Charleston Believes” event was a hit, but the day’s festivities were far from over. Later that evening Dee Norton volunteers set up shop at the 5^th Annual FamJam Festival, a fundraiser held yearly at the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry. The wildly entertaining day was centered on family fun and included activities ranging from inflatable slides to professional hip hop dance performances. There was also live music, food, field games and Nickelodeon Double Dare style challenges for the whole family to enjoy.

Catch the next Dee Norton Lowcountry Children’s Center event on Tuesday, April 28 at Patriot’s Point Golf Links in Mount Pleasant. The organization is hosting its 12^th annual “I believe…” Golf Marathon to raise funds for the center’s many services that support child abuse victims and their families. To learn how to participate in the Golf Marathon or pledge your support, visit http://dnlcc.dojiggy.com.

Guests doing arts and crafts at the tent.

Sponsor 95 SX came out to support the cause.

DNLCC volunteers helping guests.

Take Back the Night!

By Emily Randisi

 

On Thursday, April 9, I participated in my first rally. We gathered in the Cistern yard in the heart of the College of Charleston campus, marched up St. Phillips Street, then over to King Street and ended in Marion Square. As roughly 100 demonstrators walked down the closed-off streets, we boisterously chanted “Community unite, take back the night!” Various related non-profit organizations were awaiting our arrival as we finished our demonstration at Marion Square. The rally and reception were organized by the People Against Rape organization.

 

The Dee Norton Lowcountry Children’s Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to prevention child abuse, was among the organizations gathered in Marion Square providing support for the cause. For four consecutive years, Cognetix has developed an advertising campaign focusing on the National Child Abuse Prevention Month sponsored by Dee Norton. The “I believe” campaign focuses on the belief that child abuse is a grown-up problem, and we as adults are the key to successful prevention and treatment. Because the Cognetix team saw the need to support and promote such an amazing cause, they selflessly dedicated many hours to presenting the Dee Norton campaign pro bono.

 

“We are very excited to be a part of such a wonderful cause,” said Marie Parrish, a Dee Norton volunteer at the event. “And we’re so grateful for our wonderful sponsors who make all this possible.”

 

The Marion Square gathering had a clear message: the prevention of all types of abuse. Hand-crafted t-shirts were hanging up around the quadrant we had taken over. Each shirt conveyed messages about hope, survival or the rehabilitation process necessary for sexual abuse victims. To drive home the message, each organization’s table featured a different pair of shoes. Each pair had a tag with a few sentences from their owner’s experience of sexual violence. These were especially frightening, as the shoes ranged from sneakers of a college student to an adorable pair of baby shoes.

 

Although the subject of the event was serious, the mood was light and uplifting. Musicians Travis Wharton and Brian Lariviere provided light-hearted and upbeat tunes to entertain the crowd. The program that followed included a message from keynote speaker Linda Ketner, president of KSI Corporation. Awards were given to recognize numerous outstanding individuals and the evening wrapped up with a heartfelt candlelight vigil and a few motivating words by People Against Rape Executive Director Melonea Locklair.

 

For more information about the People Against Rape organization visit www.peopleagainstrape.org. To learn more about the Dee Norton Lowcountry Children’s Center and the “I believe” campaign for National Child Abuse Prevention Month visit www.dnlcc.org.

One victim’s story and message of hope.

Shoes of a 4-year-old boy who was sexually abused.

One victim’s message to the person who abused them.