Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Chocolate, Wine, and healing for Schuylkill County Survivors

On February 6 SARCC will host their 5th annual Chocolate & Wine event at Mountain Valley Golf Course.

The event will begin at 6 and will feature a performance by The Boys Upstairs. Students from the Schuylkill Technology Center South Campus will be preparing chocolate treats for the event. Ticket prices include food, wine, beer, and desserts. All proceeds from the event will benefit healing services and prevention education for survivors of sexual violence in Schuylkill County.

“SARCC’s Community Council has held this event since 2016 to raise needed funds for services in Schuylkill County,” shared Carol Wolfe, who co-chairs the Council. “The event has grown and changed locations, but the purpose remains the same. Support for sexual violence survivors is needed in our community.”

Each year, the staff and volunteers at SARCC provide 24-hour supportive services and crisis response to hundreds of victims of sexual assault and abuse. This includes counseling, therapy, and advocacy for both child and adult survivors. Many survivors and their families are not sure what next steps look like in legal processes, seeking medical care, or connecting with counseling support after disclosing sexual violence. No Schuylkill County survivor is ever alone in finding the next step.

Clarissa Geary, who provides prevention education services for SARCC in Schuylkill County, specializes in preparing the community to recognize and prevent child sexual abuse. “It’s important to me that every child in our community knows that they have a right to be safe from sexual abuse, and that there are adults who care,” Geary states. Each year she meets with students in every school district in the county, as well as parents and professionals to discuss reporting requirements and building skills to identify grooming behaviors and intervene before abuse occurs.

SARCC Board Chair Micah Gursky got involved in SARCC 5 years ago because he believes in the mission and vision of the organization. He reflected on his board service, saying, “This is the kind of work that the whole community can really get behind. Prevention and community education will bring our community into a healthy future. Creating trauma-informed response to survivors is in line with our values. We take care of one another, and SARCC has demonstrated a commitment to this work for over ten years in our community.”

Tickets to the event are $35 and all proceeds supports SARCC’s work in Schuylkill County. To purchase tickets or learn more about getting involved, visit sarccschuylkill.org or call the office at 570-628-2965.