Celebrating twenty years of advocacy

The organization fulfills a huge need in the community, and Saturday the community gave back a little to North Coast Victim Services, as Marlene Swift and Fred Anderson were feted for their hard work on all of our behalf.

Swift and Anderson and a host of volunteers run a number of programs in the community that come to the aid of those that have been victimized by crime and act as advocates for them when they need one the most.

The Daily news featured details of the celebration of service as the front page story in Monday’s Daily News.

GROUP PRAISED FOR 20 YEARS ADVOCATING FOR THE VICTIMS
Victim Services looks back on 20 years of working for victims of crime
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Monday, June 09, 2008
Pages one and three

Marlene Swift says working as the North Coast Victim Services program coordinator with the Prince Rupert RCMP these past 10 years has been more than a job for her. And judging by the support she and colleague Fred Anderson were shown by the community last week, there are many others who recognize the importance of their service to Prince Rupert.

With five big banners displaying the names of nearly 100 individuals and organizations who have supported Victim Services this year and those years past, invited guests celebrated the two-decade milestone of the program in the vibrantly decorated Salvation Army hall.

It was a busy weekend with so many other events on Saturday, but those who were able to attend the dinner got a chance to look back at the history of Victim Services locally in a collection of dozens of news stories and a picture album Swift put together dating back to her first year on the job in 1998.

Some of the services Swift, Anderson and program volunteers provide include relationship and family violence counselling, suicide and crime prevention, home security information, bereavement workshops and services, bullying and elder abuse awareness, sexual abuse and human trafficking workshops, and it is largely involved in local Highway of Tears initiatives. Sergeant Don McLean said a few words about how appreciative the rural RCMP members are of the round-the-clock work Swift and Anderson do, as did Inspector Bob Kilberry.

"Their role is huge, and I don't think the community realizes how many avenues they are actually involved in," said Kilberry. "It's not just dealing with victims of crime, there's a lot of proactive work that they are doing, including opportunities to get out to some of our villages where services aren't readily available. They do a phenomenal job when you consider that Marlene and Fred are the only two people with the RCMP that are paid, and are available 24/7. It's amazing."

Local businesses and groups donated door prizes for the dinner, and three grand prizes winners were drawn from entries that people had submitted at the Victim Services information booth in Rupert Square Mall last week.

Swift said the event had a great turnout with many questions raised for them about the topics of the day and other services that the organization provides to the community.

Jenifer Faitfhul was the winner of a $100 gift certificate to Grassy Bay Gas, K. R. Harris won a whale watching trip for two courtesy of Seashore Charters, and the grand prize winner of two round trip tickets to Vancouver on Hawkair was John Micholuk.