Announcing…the first annual Rockwall County “Race to End Abuse” 5K/family fitness walk, Oct. 10, on the Hwy. 66 bridge across beautiful Lake Ray Hubbard in Rockwall TX (map).
This USATF-sanctioned event will begin at 8 am with the 5K race (3.1 miles), followed by the one-mile family fitness walk at 8:30 am. Over 500 participants are expected to either run 1.5+ miles out across the two-mile long bridge and run 1.5+ miles back, or walk a half-mile out over the bridge and a half-mile back.
Two-way automobile traffic will be diverted during the Race/Walk onto the South side bridge to avoid any possible accident.
Pre-race warm-up exercises will be conducted by personal fitness trainers from Rockwall area fitness clubs. Plenty of water, drinks, fruit, snacks, music and family fun will be provided before, during and after the Race and Walk.
Registration is available online at Active.com, where the advance fee is $25 per adult, with special discount prices for seniors, children and families.
Sponsors, thus far, include Walmart, Presbyterian Hospital of Rockwall, Eclipse Fitness Center, Lady of America Fitness Centers, Rockwall Running Club, Joe Willy’s restaurant, Taco Casa…with many more to come.
Hosted by the Lillian Smith Family Violence Foundation, this will be the first in a series of many 5K races/walks across DFW designed to raise awareness and funds for our prevention-oriented public information campaigns to help bring an end to domestic, dating, child and pet abuse across Rockwall County.
We plan to literally follow in the footsteps of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation which, through it’s 5K races and other events, has raised and invested over $1 billion since 1982 for breast cancer research aimed at eradicating the disease.
The Race to End Abuse will also be the first of many additional events we intend to launch – including talent shows, art shows, shopping discounts, etc. – as we establish chapters across DFW, Texas and the nation.
For more information, visit the Lillian Smith Family Violence Foundation or call Founder & President J.J. Smith, 972-900-7575.
Categories: Race To End Abuse 5K/walk · events
Tagged: "Race to End Abuse" 5K/family fitness walk, Eclipse Fitness Center, Joe Willy's restaurant, Lady of America Fitness Centers, Presbyterian Hospital of Rockwall, Rockwall Running Club, Taco Casa, Walmart
The Family Place and New Beginnings Center women’s shelters applied for and are expected to receive a share of the $7.2 million in federal stimulus money coming this Fall for “homeless prevention” and “rapid re-housing” programs.
According to a Dallas Observer news story, Karen Rayzer, director of the city of Dallas’s Environmental and Health Services, said that a total 14 organizations are set to receive the funds, but only after the Dallas City Council approves and signs their applications, probably in August.
“As for how the $7.2 million will be used, she says the money will go toward “short-term rentals, medium-term rentals, utility deposits, and housing relocation,” among other desperate needs.”
Click here to read the Dallas Observer story.
Categories: women's shelters
Tagged: Dallas Observer, New Beginnings, The Family Place
Former DFW radio personality Russ Martin pleaded no contest Friday to a charge of physically assaulting his fiancee 21 years younger than him last year and was sentenced to two years’ probation by a Tarrant County judge.
The former host and shock jock of “Live 105.3″ KLLI-FM’s Russ Martin Show was initially charged by police with assaulting his girlfriend, Mandy, July 14, 2008, at his Southlake home.
As part of Friday’s plea deal, Martin, 48, received two years probation, has to pay a $1,000 fine, complete a batterer’s intervention program and was ordered to avoid further domestic violence.
Martin had been a popular fixture on local radio since 1997, when he took over the morning-drive shift at “The Eagle” KEGL-FM (97.1). He moved to KYNG-FM (now KLLI) three years later and lost his job there when it changed formats in December.
Rumors are that he will continue to receive his hefty paychecks from CBS until his contract ends. No telling when that is, at this point.
Dallas Observer reporter columnist Richie Whitt wrote yesterday that Martin and Mandy ”were reconciled for months” but may have broken up again, based upon the “no contest” plea.
Whitt wrote that he will write a complete story about Martin in an upcoming edition of the Dallas Observer.
For more complete details, click here to read this Ft. Worth Star-Telegram story.
Categories: dating violence · domestic abuse · domestic violence
Tagged: Russ Martin, Richie Whitt, Dallas Observer
Nine-month old Daisja Weaver’s father, 20-year-old Alandus Weaver of Dallas, has now been charged with murdering her.
He’s the man who told police that he tied a sandbag to her leg after “accidentally” killing her and then tossed her body off a bridge and into Lake Lewisville to cover up his crime. Police divers spent several days unsuccessfully trying to recover the body.
Police said last night that he will now face a charge of capital murder in the little girl’s June 8 death, since the baby’s 19-year-old mother, Tamaira Creagh, has provided more details.
Still no body has been found, but police and the Denton County DA’s office say they believe they have enough circumstantial evidence to proceed.
Click here to read the Dallas Morning News story detailing what the couple did after the baby’s death. Be careful, it’s rather gruesome and disgusting.
Creagh is currently six month’s pregnant with their second child. She claims that after she learned their little girl was dead that she was afraid to tell anyone what had happened immediately because Weaver had threatened her not to talk.
Considering how many versions of the story that this couple has told, it’s all a confusing mess.
I have to wonder what kind of life Alandus Weaver has had and what’s he endured to have committed such an atrocious crime.
Also wonder how and why the baby’s mother became involved with him.
Does anybody know?
Categories: children murdered · domestic abuse · domestic violence
Tagged: Alandus Weaver, Daisja Weaver, Tamaira Creagh
Former NFL star Steve McNair was shot dead last week by a 20-year-old possible girlfriend distraught about mounting financial problems and her belief that he was seeing someone else, Nashville police said Wednesday.
Sahel Kazemi “was spinning out of control” when she shot McNair four times as he dozed on a sofa in his condo early Saturday, then turned the gun on herself, police Chief Ronal Serpas said.
Her friends told police that she was having trouble making payments on two cars, her rent was doubling and she suspected the married McNair was having a second affair with another woman.
She told a friend on Friday that “my life is a ball of s—- and I should end it,” Serpas said.
Police earlier had ruled McNair’s death a homicide, but waited for further tests and the results of investigations about Kazemi’s personal problems before concluding that she pulled the trigger of a 9mm semiautomatic pistol in a condominium McNair rented with a male friend.
McNair, 36, a quarterback for the Tennessee Titans most of his career, met Kazemi six months ago at a sports cafe where she was a waitress and his family often ate. She told family and friends that she was happy and eager to build a life with him, but something went wrong.
“We do know that she was clearly sending a message during the last five to seven days of her life that things were going bad quickly,” Serpas said, though there was no indication she told anyone she planned to harm McNair.
Serpas said detectives learned that Kazemi recently found out about another young woman she thought McNair was romantically involved with and had even followed that woman home, though she did not confront her.
All of this was taking place without the knowledge of McNair’s wife, Mechelle, the mother of two of his sons, and possibly without even McNair’s.
It could easily be that Kazemi dreamed up the whole story, except for the fact that McNair’s name is also on the title of her Cadillac Escalade. She even told a friend that his divorce was only two weeks from being final. In reality, no McNair divorce papers have ever even been even filed.
Kazemi was born and lived in Iran until she was nine years old, when her mother was killed in that country. She then came to live with relatives in the U.S.
People who grow up witnessing violence frequently become violent themselves.
Categories: dating violence · domestic violence · murder-suicide
Tagged: Sahel Kazemi, Steve McNair
Ever since Chris Brown was charged with beating, choking and biting Rihanna during their Feb. fight, it’s been rumored that Chris had hit her before but she kept coming back to him anyway.
That’s exactly the reason why so many people and society in general has turned their backs on abused women – because they keep going back for more.
Most reasonably well-adjusted people just wouldn’t do that, and they can’t understand – nor do they want to – why women would keep going back for more.
We have to teach women that it’s not a victim’s fault if someone hits her, but it IS the victim’s fault if she keeps going back for more.
Our nation needs to help millions of girls and women how to improve their self-esteem and quit settling for boys and men who physically, sexually or verbally abuse or demean them.
Tragically, so many girls and women accept this demeaning treatment from their boyfriends and husbands because they grew up being treated that way by their fathers, step-fathers, mothers and other family members. They either think that’s just the way it is for everybody, or they just don’t deserve any better.
Ladies, there are so many good men out there! Abuse is NOT the way it is for most people!
We applaud Dove soap for its fine Campaign for Real Beauty to help girls to build their self-esteem! More groups need to take such commendable actions!
Categories: Chris Brown · Rihanna · dating violence · domestic violence · self-esteem
Tagged: Campaign for Real Beauty, Chris Brown, Dove Soap, Rihanna, self-esteem in girls
After singer Chris Brown pled guilty yesterday to beating, choking and biting Rihanna in a fight Feb. 8, his attorney, Mark Geragos, said Chris was accepting responsibility for his actions.
Hooray! And it’s about time! Whether he really is or not remains to be seen, but at least it sounds good!
We all have to accept responsibility for our actions, and then accept the consequences. As I’ve often been told, we can choose what we want to do but we can’t choose the consequences. They’re usually fixed, in one way or another.
Millions more men (and women) who have chosen to lose control need to accept responsibility for their actions, as well. Many of you probably need to get help with doing so. No shame in that!
Many abusers grow up witnessing violence and it’s all they know. I should know – I grew up witnessing violence and did use some abusive language and behavior with my children at times until I realized the harm it was doing. Then I sought professional counseling for help and it changed my life!
Abuse wouldn’t happen if abusers wouldn’t choose to abuse. That’s so true. It’s not the victim’s fault if a man chooses to hit, choke or bite a woman, as Chris has now admitted he did.
But n the other hand, it is the victim’s fault if she keeps going back for more. As Oprah says, “If he hits you once, he’ll hit you again!”
Men and boys, quit hitting and berating women! You can’t get a good one to stay with you if you mistreat her. And you do want a good one, don’t you?
Categories: Chris Brown · Rihanna · dating violence · domestic abuse · domestic violence
Tagged: abusers, Chris Brown, Mark Geragos, Rihanna
Since January, The Dallas-based Meadows Foundation has awarded an additional $364,ooo to help domestic violence victims across Texas through the Texas Council on Family Violence.
That’s on top of the additional $3 million it has donated over the past five years.
According to the TCFV, $175,000 will go to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE.
The additional funds will go to women’s shelters across the state.
From the story on the NDVH website:
Over the last five years, The Meadows Foundation has contributed approximately $3.1 million to 29 domestic violence service providers throughout Texas.
“We recognize that domestic violence agencies are struggling this year to serve as many families as possible, even in the face of budget and staff reductions,” said Bruce Esterline, Vice President for Grants.
“Because of the great need, our foundation will continue to review requests for emergency funding throughout 2009.”
We congratulate the Meadows Foundation for all they have done to help domestic violence victims!
Categories: domestic violence
Tagged: domestic violence victims, Meadows Foundation, National Domestic Violence Hotline, Texas Council on Family Violence, women's shelters
