ALLEN COUNTY, OH (WLIO) - Crossroads Crisis Center honors the victims of domestic violence during their 25th annual tree planting.
The tree was planted at the Moyer Nature Center, which is the first tree planting that has happened outside of the Lima area.
The tree was planted at the Moyer Nature Center in the nature preserve at Bluffton University, which is the first tree planting that has happened outside of the Lima area. The tree symbolizes the lives that continue to grow after domestic violence, and it is planted in memory of victims that died and in honor of survivors of abusive relationships.
Crossroads wants the public to realize that domestic violence is in every community and everyone needs to work to help end it.
"It doesn't matter what your socioeconomic stance is, what your race is. It doesn't care what your education level is, and so planting this at Bluffton University is a big moment for us," says Olivia DePalma, mobile advocacy and outreach coordinator for Crossroads Crisis Center. "Especially because the most common ages for someone to enter into an abusive relationship is between the age of 18 to 24. That is the most common age for college students, so that really brings that back into focus."
The tree symbolizes the lives that continue to grow after domestic violence, and it is planted in memory of victims that died and in honor of survivors of abusive relationships.
Some of the social work students at the university do internships at Crossroads and work with victims of domestic violence, and they see the impact firsthand of the results of an abusive relationship.
"One of the things that all students in both the undergraduate and the master level students have to do is complete a practicum, where they have an opportunity to practice social work. So, we have had the opportunity to place many of our students at Crossroads Crisis Center in the past for filling that requirement. It's a great collaboration for our students and their education and also working with a social service agency that provides such a vital program to our community around care and support for survivors of domestic violence," says Laurel Neufeld Weaver, assistant professor of social work and master of social work at Bluffton University.
Crossroad Crisis Center will be holding their annual candlelight vigil at Trinity United Methodist Church on October 17, 2024, at 7 p.m.
Crossroad Crisis Center will be holding their annual candlelight vigil at Trinity United Methodist Church (301 W Market Street, Lima, OH 45805) on October 17, 2024, at 7 p.m. The public is welcome to honor the memory of the victims that have lost their lives because of domestic violence.
