PERRYSVILLE – Two women, working in the dietary department at Mohican Youth Academy in Perrysville, decided to give back to a local domestic violence shelter that was near and dear to their hearts.
Glynis Haney, a cook at MYA, was herself a beneficiary of the shelter’s services earlier in her life.
“I was looking for a way to help them, in support of National Domestic Violence Prevention Month in April,” she shared.
Haney was given permission to host the six-week fundraising effort, which began in late January. The response from her coworkers, was overwhelming. In all, about 90 MYA staff members took part in the effort, contributing both cash donations and other supplies.
As the donations began to come in, Karen Fowler, kitchen specialist at MYA, decided to offer her skills to enable the donations go even further.
Fowler, a long-time quilter, offered to create a one-of-a kind quilt representing the shelter and MYA staff’s support of their efforts, which she thought could either be displayed or auctioned-off, to raise further donations.
Mohican Youth Academy donated $100 to help defray the cost of the quilting supplies.
“The theme we chose was ‘Our Hearts Helping Their Hearts Heal,’” shared Fowler.
To promote the theme, MYA staff were invited to purchase a 5×5-inch ‘heart’ square, one for $3 or two for $5. When finished, 220 hearts adorned the quilt, surrounding a lighthouse – the shelter’s emblem, The Serenity Prayer and a guardian angel, located in the center.
The Domestic Violence Shelter staff intend to display the 90-inch by 108-inch quilt in their main living area to commemorate MYA’s generosity.
When Jerica Wheeler, shelter volunteer coordinator, and Amanda McCall, client advocate, came to pick up the donations and quilt Monday afternoon, both expressed their gratitude to both peers and staff, in a formal presentation assembly.
In addition to the cash donation and quilt, six large boxes of food, clothing and toys were collected.
“We sincerely appreciate the generous donations we received from the staff and students at Mohican Youth Academy,” shared Katherine Ezawa, executive director at the shelter. “The quilt is an amazing project of love! We can tell that a lot of thoughtful intent went into the effort. We plan to hang the quilt in the main living room of the shelter for everyone to see and enjoy.”
Ezawa also expressed appreciation for the supplies, which will support the families they serve, and the cash donation which they intend to use to help replenish the stock of the clothes closet at OhioHealth, and effort the shelter supports.
“So many of our boys have seen the effects of domestic violence,” shared Haney, who has a very special relationship with many of the boys who have been adjudicated delinquent or are considered at-risk and have been placed at MYA.
“I hear their stories, and can understand what their world is like since I myself experienced past violence.”
