Apr. 14/12 - May 13/12

Visit HomeSense or Winners today to support Shelter from the Storm. Help us raise funds for the Canadian Women’s Foundation to support emergency shelters and violence prevention programs in your community. Victoria Women’s Transition House is one of the shelters receiving support from your donations.

Buy a decal for $2, $5 or $10 and you have the chance to win one of three $1000 shopping sprees plus instant prizes!* Plus purchase a limited edition item from our exclusive collection in support of Shelter from the Storm.

For more information about the programs that benefit from your support, please visit www.canadianwomen.org.

For contest details visit www.givesheltertowin.ca

 
Winners - Victoria
Tillicum Mall
3170 Tillicum Road
Victoria, BC V9A 7C5
Phone: 250-361-4511

Winners - Victoria (Langford)
Westshore Town Centre
2495 Jacklin Rd.
Victoria (Langford), BC V9B 5E3
Phone: 250-391-1829

HomeSense Store - Victoria
805 Cloverdale Avenue, Unit 102
Island Home Centre
Victoria, BC V8X 2S9
Phone: 250-386-2641

 
HomeSense Store - Langford (Victoria)
Westshore Town Centre
2495 Jacklin Road
Langford (Victoria), BC V9B 5E3
Phone: 250-391-1829

Everything you seek is within you. Realize the joy, freedom & love within.

Sugar Fix Kundalini Yoga raves take from traditional practice, blending chanting, kriyas, breath work, and dancing to make you move. This style of yoga is about freeing energy and releasing stored tension in the body, you’ll leave the studio with a renewed sence of appreciation and inner piece.

For more information….

Ruffell & Brown Interiors  are so excited to be bringing Sally Morse back to Victoria! She is a dynamic international interior designer, TV personality and author who will present her “Magic of Threes in Design” seminar from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on May 29th in our showroom at 2745 Bridge Street. This seminar is a fact-filled session that points out the many times the number three is used in design rules. With information she gathered from major European design shows including Maison et Objet, Heimtextil, Decosit, and La Biennel, Sally will also show this year’s hottest home furnishings trends and how they can be adapted for the Canadian homeowner.

A frequent guest on HGTV, Sally’s work has been featured in Women’s Day, Better Homes and Gardens and Windows & Walls magazines, and she recently co-authored a book on window coverings and has written many articles on interior design, color and trends. Her “Ask Sally” column can be found on the Hunter Douglas website.

All proceeds will benefit the Victoria Women’s Transition House.

Refreshments and Nanaimo Bars starting at 6:30 p.m.!

 
For more information and to secure tickets go to http://ruffell-brown.com/sally-morse/

This week is a dedicated to recognition of volunteers in Canada. At Victoria Women’s Transition House we honour each of the volunteers who have devoted many hours to support women and children who face the difficult issue of abuse in their lives. Our volunteers play with children, answer the crisis line, cook and bake, clean and organize, speak in the community, bake, pick up and sort donations, offer their specialized skills such as yoga or massage. Last year volunteers contributed about 130 volunteers contributed over 7500 hours.

Our volunteers go through an extensive training program – to quote one volunteer “I learned so much about this provocative issue and enjoyed the deep discussions and activities!” If you are interested in joining our volunteer team, call Dianne at 592-2927 ext 222 or see the volunteer section of the website transitionhouse.net

March 29, 2012

Dear Friend,
“You are all so special to me and my son—we are very lucky to have known you! You ALL have given me confidence, helped me realize I don’t have to be superwoman, and given advice that will stay with me for years to come. Our lives have changed since we’ve come here and you’ll never know the gratitude I have towards you all…Thank you for an amazing transition and always supporting us”.   ~Letter from Shelter Client

Together in action we can help! This Spring Campaign’s success will support our mission to provide shelter, support, counselling and education to women of all ages, with or without children, so that they can live free from the effects of abuse in intimate relationships.

Women and children are taking the steps to new beginnings this Spring by making a phone call to the 24-Hour Information & Support Line, run out of our Shelter.

Women and children may reside in our Shelter for 30 days with support from the Women or Children’s Shelter Counselling Teams, or they might directly access one of our other programs with or without having stayed at the Shelter:

• Stopping the Violence Counselling for women;
• Children Who Witness Abuse Programs for the children;
• Advocacy and counselling through the Older Women Program;
• Support to victims of assault, threats or criminal harassment from our Spousal Assault Victim Support Counselling Program;
• Harrison Place/Regional Domestic Violence Unit/Community Education/Volunteer

 
These are just some of the ways that a woman’s first step, becomes a second step as the difficult journey begins. 

The support of you the donors, volunteers, and staff assist the women’s brave journeys that takes place each and every day. The journey isn’t a quick two week fix. Women with children often need their own counselling before they realize the impact on their children as well. Please read Silent no More in our enclosed newsletter, the story of one mother and her child who now have found their voices to speak.

Our Spring goal is to raise $45,000 of the $800,000 we need to raise each year.

Each year almost 4,000 women and children take steps towards a safe place but still need more. The Inspiring Women’s Circle offers a group for those who have used one of our services before to continue on the path beyond our other programs. It is a weekly gathering for women to come together and learn, share, have fun and support each other as the journey carries on. This innovative program is supported by our counselling staff and volunteers and allows the women’s journeys to continue.

 
When you donate, you are investing in people. You are ensuring the phone is answered to provide information and support, any time of day that it rings. You are providing counselling, education, support and advocacy for women and children.

 
Spring is the time to take a step, make a change, new beginnings. The success of these steps carrying forward along the path depends on the support of donors like you.

 
Please consider supporting us monthly so the steps can carry on. You may do so by returning the coupon/form on our blog.

 
The words of the client below show the difference your gift makes.

“Hope, courage, joy, dignity, surprise, being valued, self-esteem, and a sense of being recipient of huge kindness and generosity… Thanks to all of you, and I hope to pass this kindness to others in the future years. “ ~Thank you from Community Office Client   

Sincerely,

 
Elissa Bergman
Revenue Development Manager
(250) 592-2927 ext. 210

 
PS.  The work of Transition House goes on all year and every year. Please consider remembering Transition House in your will.

VWTH Spring 2012 Newsletter                                         Spring 2012 Coupon

The Victoria Golf Club is holding their 17th Annual Charity Tournament. This year there will be a men’s tournament on June 16 and a women’s tournament on June 21. These tournaments combined with a Monte Carlo Gala Night aspire to surpass the $100,000 raised last year.

To golf, sponsor or for more information….

The Royal LePage Coast Capital Realty garage sale to support local women’s shelters is happening again on May 12, 9-3PM.

For More Information….

The Victoria Goddess Run is for female participants, of all ages and walks of life and abilities to encourage their participation in a healthy lifestyle event.  Women’s Only events have been seeing tremendous growth over the past few years, and we believe that we can create an annual destination event with the Victoria Goddess Run. Through this event we look forward to supporting four local charitable organizations, these are the Women’s Sexual Assault Centre, supporting women who have suffered a sexual assault; Women’s Transition House who works with women and children to transition towards a life free of abuse; ProMotion Plus who support women and girls participation in sport and physical activity; and Sportassist which supports kids participation in sport if they cannot afford it.

When – Sunday, June 3, 2012

Where – Start / Finish at Langford City Centre Park Distance –

How Far  – Half Marathon (21.1k), 10k and 5k Walk

Why – to participate in a healthy life style
            $5 of your registration fee will go towards your selected charity 

Contact info – www.victoriagoddess.com  info@victoriagoddess.com Twitter @vicgoddessrun  Facebook: Victoria Goddess Run

 Our Weekly Women’s Group spoke about Ways of Relieving Stress here are some ideas they came up with: 

• Rub the right thumb in the palm of your left hand
• Press your fingertips together
• Rub your thumb and forefinger on each fingertip
• Restorative yoga  where you hold poses for several minutes
• Many yoga studios offer community classes for $5

 
Create a worry box (real or imaginary). Write your worries on a slip of paper. Put them in the box and make an appointment (day, time) to think about them. Meanwhile, don’t think about them.

 
Tip: To remove stuck on baking – soak the pan in water with a fabric softener sheet in it and presto.

 
Send someone a care package – chocolate, a picture frame, snack foods, chapstick, magazine or book.

 
Send a child a nice card and note.

Watch the Mandela develop each week!

 
A group of women is working on developing personal wellness wheels. So far we have done a circle representing our physical well being, and this week we did one on our intellectual being. We begin the session with a focus, listen to a guided meditation, then paint from within. Women are finding it to be very inspiring and exciting.