In May of 2026 we hosted events in the community to highlight Victims and Survivors of Crime week. Check out the events and art below to learn more about survivors and how we have collaborated with others to foster connection, community, and awareness.
In March of 2026 we hosted the first “Raise Awareness - Hear My Voice” performance and artist showcase. Survivors are silenced too often and we want to change that. The Lennox and Addington Violence Prevention Coalition (LAVPC) funded the event, making it free for members of the community to attend. Leading up to the evening, we also began a social media campaign highlighting original artwork accompanied by facts, statistics, and information related to domestic violence and abuse.
Many artists, performers, volunteers, and staff deserve recognition and thanks. The showcase was meaningful, emotional, impactful, fun, and hopeful. The success and connections made would not have been possible without those who shared their stories, gave their time, and provided entertainment. Please see the photos below for a glimpse into such an incredible evening. Thank you.
Soaring Butterfly
Sarah Brown Dunkley
I—just like the caterpillar—
Crawl through this life,
Avoiding at all costs the big feet
That may come along and
Stomp out my light at any given moment.
I—just a tiny little critter in this enormous world—
Am targeted by those who only see
The exterior part of my being.
The big feet of this world come at me —
Like the words, the hands
And the bodies forced upon me.
Taking what should have been mine to give.
Instead, shutting down the light within.
As tiny as I seem, ugly to some, useless to others,
There are those who, although they see this,
Also see my true potential.
They know what will become of me
If they do not stomp on me.
They see the transformation before it even occurs.
The big feet awkwardly avoid me
In hope that I become something else
As I crawl through this life,
Hoping to find my way,
As I hide myself within the cocoon
So that I may sit in solitude,
Grasping for acceptance, love and understanding
Of my own self.
Praying for the healing
Of the beatings my soul has endured.
Finding a light after all the darkness,
Only to have to push myself through the cocoon—
By myself.
Alone. Unsure. Afraid.
Yet I know it is only me.
I am the only one who can
Get myself out of the mess that has been created.
Out of the solitude that I have been embraced in.
Out of the smallness of my life that I have known.
Rebirth.
I push and push and push myself more
Until I am free from my cocoon
And can spread my wings and fly.
And one day, I will see my reflection upon the water.
I will see the colours I carry that were not there before.
I will see the wings I carry that were not there before.
I will know I have abilities that I did not have before.
Rebirth
I will look back at all the big feet
That tried to stomp out my light.
I will look back
At all those who thought I was ugly or useless.
I will look back!
But I will not crumble. I will not fall.
I will not cry, nor will I die.
I will spread my wings and soar.
I will fly higher than before.
I will take my spirit to places unknown,
And I will embrace the beauty
That has escaped from my internal soul
And shows itself now to all.
Rebirth.
As the caterpillar, I crawled through life.
I endured. I survived.
As the butterfly, I fly through life.
I soar. I thrive.
Transformation comes in many forms.
Who will you be after the pain?
Where will you go and what will you do With your new you?
We have the power and ability to choose
To allow those big feet to stomp us out
Or to dodge them, or to relight our own fire If they have succeeded.
We have the ability to push ourselves out of the cocoon
We think we are hiding from the world in,
When in reality, we are finding our own souls within.
Search.
We are not lost.
We are always here within our own reach.
Search.
You deserve to be you
Even after all has been said and done.
Search.
And spread your wings and soar.
And when you fly above the water,
Ensure you notice the beauty you carry
As you realize it has broken free from the internal you
To show itself now on your wings.
No more hiding.
No more dodging.
No more crawling through life,
Surviving.
This is the new me.
Ugly little caterpillar turned into this beautiful butterfly.
Free... free to soar.
Free to be me. Free to be safe.
This is the new me.
Strong... strong because of the big feet in my life.
Strong from pushing through.
Strong from the transformation.
This is the new me.
Brave ... brave because of the fight to live.
Brave from sitting in solitude in the dark.
Brave from overcoming everything that has tried
To hold me back but pushing through.
This is the new me.
Beautiful... beautiful because of the scars I carry.
Beautiful from the pain I endured.
Beautiful from the growth and change I allowed to become
This is the new me.
Tiny little caterpillar.
Cocooned little caterpillar.
Renewed little caterpillar with wings.
This is the new me.
Soaring butterfly.
Chloe Performing
