Laura Van Zandt, Executive Director of REACH Beyond Domestic Violence, presented the Mary Young Voice for Justice Award to the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable at REACH’s Annual Meeting held on June 17, 2014 at the Massachusetts Medical Society. The Roundtable was recognized for raising awareness about Domestic Violence in all its forms, promoting safe and healthy relationships, and for collaborating with local domestic violence agencies. Ruth Backman, president, and Susan Pettit, vice president, accepted the award on behalf of the Roundtable.
The Roundtable was also honored with a Congressional citation signed by Representative Katherine Clark.
The Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable is a community based all-volunteer nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting safe and healthy relationships, raising public awareness about abusive and controlling behaviors whether exhibited through bullying, teen dating violence, domestic abuse, or elder abuse, and ending relationship violence in all its forms.
The Roundtable pursues these goals by educating the community, supporting agencies that provide services to victims of abuse, networking with other concerned community groups, and mobilizing community leaders.
Participants in the Roundtable and its events include community members, local domestic and sexual assault agencies, clergy, school personnel, police departments, and health professionals.
For more than sixteen years, members of the Roundtable have met monthly, planned events, presented programs, and learned from one another. Program topics have included teen dating violence, cyber-bullying, elder abuse, the impact of trauma, the relationship between domestic violence and animal abuse and more. The Roundtable also launched a website (www.domesticviolenceroundtable.org ) a number of years ago that has been accessed by thousands of users both nationally and internationally. The site includes information about numerous domestic violence topics, domestic violence resources, and information about the Roundtable and its activities.
The Roundtable also provides domestic violence resource materials to local municipal buildings, businesses and restaurants, medical and dental offices, schools, and faith communities.
In addition, the Roundtable conducts annual drives including “Shower for Shelters,” a Valentine’s Day collection, and a holiday gift drive in December. All of these drives benefit residents of local domestic violence shelters and transitional housing programs.
Much like the famous Margaret Mead quote, Roundtable members believe that “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful and committed citizens can change the world: indeed it is the only thing that ever has.” The Roundtable welcomes new members who share their vision of communities free from domestic violence in all its forms. Please contact the Roundtable at infodvrt@gmail.com
