http://www.violencefreeanokacounty.org/
Working with the Violence Prevention Council of Anoka County has been an honor and it has also been eye opening. The issues that affect the county we live in are surely the responsibility and concern of local residents and businesses alike. We are proud to have worked with them this year and we will continue to work with them during our Boston's Cares fundraiser February of 2012 promoting awareness about Dating Violence for young women. Education is key to prevention in the matters the Alliance for a Violence Free Anoka County stands for and we are just trying to do our part for the community, honestly. Our community is why our business is still open in a tough economy so what better way to thank you than to take community issues and work to help support the programs that serve you.
Last spring we partnered with the Violence Prevention Council for the first time in order to organize Child Abuse Awareness month, a cause that is passionate to our manager Tisha Beseke and now to our entire team. We saw great results raising over $2,000 for the organization. The pinwheel is the symbol for Child Abuse Awarness. Boston's sold pinwheels and planted a pinwheel garden in the front of the store to raise awareness and funds to support the efforts of this action team. The council provided educational materials for our guests and managed it in such a way that it was not in-your-face about the issue, but presented it with sensitivity and respect to our guests. This was very effective and I give kudos to the organization for their approach.
The money raised was donated on behalf of Tisha Beseke's little brother Rylan. Rylan is a 3 year old boy who was a victim of child abuse when he was just 7 months old. He now suffers from many disabilities because of the effects of the abuse. He was placed in Tisha's parents home for foster care and soon after they adopted him. I have to say I am proud to work for a locally-owned company who cares to involve themselves in the lives of their employees and community.
Most recently we organized a fundraiser for the Domestic Violence Council, a branch of Violence Free Anoka County. In the months prior to the fundraiser we worked to spread awareness of the Coaching Boys into Men program by mailing out a "Playbook" to local coaches and a letter inviting them to our fundraiser. Coaches were offered the opportunity to share the Playbook's information with their student athletes and allow them to sign a pledge dedicating themselves to healthy relationships without violence. We received signed pledges from the following two teams: Coach Denny Green's Coon Rapids High School Boys Cross Country Team and Coach Jeff Schlieff's Spring Lake Park High School Football Team. The turn out for Monday night's fundraiser was decent, but we hope to get more of a response next year! It's a tough subject for coaches to bring up to their student athletes, but we are proud for the pledges we received from both of these coaches. Both coaches were honored on a plaque which can be viewed in the entrance way of Boston's Coon Rapids. Below is a link to learn more about the program Coaching Boys Into Men.
http://www.violencefreeanokacounty.org/dvc/projects/coaching-boys-into-men/
Boston's would like to thank the Violence Prevention Council and all who work with us to organize these fundraiser and attended them, making them a success. We believe in the work you do! Special thanks to Donna McDonald Alliance for a Violence-free Anoka County, Amy Highness co-chair Domestic Violence Council and Goody Vokovan of Connexus Energy. You are hard working women our community can be proud of!
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