EVENTS
We host a number of events throughout the year in Sitka to raise awareness about the prevalence and impact of domestic violence and sexual assault, and to gather support for ending the epidemic of violence within our community and across Alaska. Our events also celebrate the success of our prevention programs and efforts in Sitka. If you would like to know more about our events or would like to become involved, contact info@safv.org.
Read about some of our annual events below!
DV AWARENESS
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DV AWARENESS FLAGS
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Every year, SAFV displays flags to raise awareness about the prevalence of DV in our community. The flags are a visual representation of Sitka's DV statistics from the past year. Every flag represents a statistic, for example, yellow flags represent the number of bed nights SAFV has provided to women and children in the past year.
CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS
Since 2008, SAFV has been hosting a youth poster contest to give youth a chance to showcase their talents and ideas, and to help bring awareness to Child Abuse Awareness Month in April. All K-5th grade students are invited to create entries to the poster contest each spring. Each poster is displayed around Sitka in April, and several Honorable Mentions and Grand Prize winners are selected by SAFV staff to highlight in the media.
Check out these photos of submissions from past contests. Past themes include: Safe for All, Fun for All;If Kids Ruled the World; Kids Can Make a Better World; Sitka is Special Because of Me; My Greater Sitka Family; and I Matter to Sitka! To learn more about SAFV's annual poster contest, contact youth@safv.org.
5K FUN RUNS
Every spring, SAFV teams up with Keet Gooshi Heen to offer Girls on the Run, an empowerment running program for girls in third through fifth grade. At the end of the season, girls participate in a 5K fun run, an event that families, friends, and community members come out to support.
Check our the photos from the 2014 season's 5K. To learn more about Girls on the Run in Sitka, go to our GOTR page or contact schools@safv.org.
Every fall, SAFV teams up with Keet Gooshi Heen to offer Boys Run, a running program for boys in third through fifth grade that incorporates Southeast Alaska traditional values into the curriculum. At the end of the season, boys run a 5K to celebrate their team work and skills they built throughout the season.
Check our the photos from the 2014 season's 5K. To learn more about the program, go to our Boys Run page or contact schools@safv.org.
CHOOSE RESPECT CAMPAIGN
The 2015 Choose Respect March is on March 26th! Join communities across Alaska: take a stand and walk with us to show that you choose respect. The Sitka March will start at noon on Thursday the 26th at Totem Square. From there we'll head down Lincoln Street and gather at Crescent Harbor Shelter for celebration, art projects, and brief speeches from students across Sitka. RSVP for and SHARE the event on Facebook!
Since 2011, community members have joined together every year in the month of March to take a stand against domestic violence and sexual assault by joining the annual Choose Respect March. This march is part of a statewide initiative to end the epidemic of DV/SA in Alaska. Check out our photos from past marches. To learn more about the Choose Respect March, contact info@safv.org.
HONORING WOMEN
Since 1998, SAFV has celebrated the achievements of women by giving them an opportunity to shine at our annual Honoring Women event.
The women are nominated based on their volunteer or professional services to women and children in Sitka. It's a wonderful event to celebrate the everyday strengths and hearts of the women in this community, for all they have given and all they do to enhance our community.
Nomination submissions are open to the community. The process begins in December of every year and the deadline for nominations is the end of January. Please make sure your candidate has not yet been honored at the event, but checking out our Past Honorees.
You may submit your nomination by email to info@safv.org or by mail to SAFV at PO Box 6136, Sitka, AK 99835. In your nomination, please explain why this individual should be honored and include your phone number and email address, as well as the complete contact information for the nominees, including phone, cell phone number, and email address.
A committee of past honorees and staff of Sitka nonprofit organizations collaborating with SAFV will choose four honorees. The 18th Annual Honoring Women and Silent Auction in 2015 will take place in April. Additional details will be posted on our home page bulletin and announced in the community as we near the event.
FAMILY FIESTA
SAFV has hosted the Family Fiesta and Dessert Auction since 1995. The community donates groceries for SAFV staff to cook a wonderful Mexican dinner. People come to share food and listen to live music, and to compete in the famous dessert auction.
Desserts are made by generous volunteers in the community. Each year, the bakers go above and beyond of their last creations, and the friendly bidding brings everyone together in laughter and commraderie. It's a festive, family-friendly environment, and folks look forward to this event every year.
