Schools, district attorney, businesses sponsoring Rockwall “Race To End Abuse” 5K/Walk, Oct. 31

Announcing…the first annual Lillan Smith Rockwall “Race to End Abuse” 5K/family fitness walk, Oct. 10, 8-10 am, at the Kroger southside parking lot in Rockwall TX (map).

This USATF-sanctioned event will begin with warm-up exercises at 7:45 am, followed by the 5K race (3.1 miles) at 8 am and the one-mile family fitness walk at 8:30 am. 

Over 500 participants are expected to either run 1.5+ miles up to Summer Lee Dr., behind Presbyterian Hospital, past Fox Chase Park, up Tubbs Rd. and then the 1.5+ miles back. Walkers will walk one mile to Fox Chase Park and back.

Pre-race warm-up exercises will be conducted by Race sponsor Rockwall Running Center. Plenty of free water, drinks, fruit, snacks, music and family fun will be provided before, during and after the Race and Walk.

Pre-registration is available online for a $5 discount at Active.com, where the advance discount fee is $25 per adult, $20 each for two adults per family and $15 for children under 13. There’s also a special family discount price of $50 for three or more members.

Title sponsor is Heritage Christian Academy. Presenting sponsor is Walmart. Host sponsor is Kroger. Other sponsors include Rockwall ISD, Rockwall County District Attorney Kenda Culpepper, Presbyterian Hospital of Rockwall, Eclipse Fitness Center, Lady of America Fitness Centers, Rockwall Running Center, Taco Casa, Joe Willy’s…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 and the Metoplex.

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.

Usage of two dating violence prevention programs being used nationwide proposed to Rockwall ISD

To help prevent the nation’s dating violence epidemic from increasing in Rockwall County, I met yesterday with Rockwall ISD Superintendent Dr. Gene Burton and Communications Director Sheri Fowler to propose that the school district immediately begin incorporating two state-of-the-art dating abuse prevention and reduction programs which are currently being used in hundreds of schools across the nation.

Also in attendance were new Rockwall District Attorney Kenda Culpepper and Vicki Oldham, child abuse & sex crimes investigator for the Rockwall County Sheriff’s Office, whom I had also invited to learn more about the programs.

Proposed for use were the “Choose Respect” campaign – which targets 11-14-year-olds before they begin dating – plus the “Love Is Not Abuse” classroom curriculum, designed to prevent and reduce dating violence among high school age youth.

Associated with the new National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline, both high-quality programs deal with current dating violence issues – such as new technology – since they were each created and updated during the past three years.

They include interactive learning tools, websites, videos, discussion topics, teaching tips and  recommendations for generating strong community support.

The Choose Respect campaign was developed by the nation’s CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) of the U.S. Health & Human Services Dept. It was rolled out nationwide in 2006 in ten major cities, including Houston and San Antonio. It can be found online at www.chooserespect.org.

The Love Is Not Abuse classroom curriculum was developed by leading educators for Liz Claiborne Inc, a leader in the nation’s fight against domestic and dating violence. It can be found at www.loveisnotabuse.com.

The meeting went well, as I cited statistics and explained the need for and benefits of incorporating these high-quality programs into the RISD. After a short discussion about dating violence and how much more schools must teach nowadays than just “the three Rs,” Dr. Burton confirmed that RISD will do whatever it takes to deal with this issue. Already, he said RISD is planning several special presentations in the Spring.

As the meeting concluded Dr. Burton asked that I develop an impactful presentation, as soon as possible, which we can show to the RISD staff and community to explain the need and benefit of such a comprehensive program. He said RISD will help with technology, and hopes that the District Attorney’s office, law enforcement and others will assist me, as well.

Can’t wait to begin this project!

Rockwall ISD PTA president will begin scheduling dating violence dangers presentations for parents

The vice president of the Rockwall ISD PTA Council agreed today to begin scheduling Lillian Smith Foundation “Dating Violence Dangers” presentations for parents at each of Rockwall ISD’s three high schools, two middle schools and twelve elementary schools, in a meeting with Foundation leaders J.J. Smith and Tanya Pankz.

Denise Smith, who is currently the director of programs for the Rockwall ISD PTA (Parent-Teachers Association), as well as the PTA president at J.W. Williams Middle School, told Tanya and J.J. that she will immediately schedule a 45-minute presentation at Williams, Nov. 19.

Next, she said she will contact the other RISD school PTA leaders, plus the Texas state PTA Council, in hopes of arranging even more presentations statewide.

Denise said she had already heard so many good things about Tanya’s presentation from RISD officials that she agreed it’s a story that parents need and will want to hear. After listening to Tanya tell the story about the murder of her daughter, she said she was even more convinced of the importance of this message.

Tanya’s daughter, Jennifer Pankz, was murdered in 2002 by a boy she was trying to stop dating at UNT after graduating from Rockwall High School in 2001. Jennifer was also tormented by another boy whom she dated in high school when he became violent, which required the intervention of Tanya and her husband Brian Pankz.

According to a 2006 survey of 16 to 24-year-olds by the Texas Council On Family Violence, 75 percent of that age group has either been personally involved in dating violence or know someone who has. At least 50 percent of those interviewed also admitted to being personally involved in dating violence.

Mother of murdered 2001 Rockwall H.S. grad to speak about dating violence dangers

Jennifer Pankz

(Click on photo to enlarge. Click again to reduce photo size.)

The mother of murdered 2001 Rockwall High School graduate Jennifer Pankz will speak to the community about the dangers of dating violence, Oct. 29, 7 pm, at the Rockwall ISD Administration Building, room 600, 1050 Williams St./Hwy. 66 (next to Helping Hands).

Rowlett resident Tanya Pankz, the former branch manager of all three First Convenience Bank locations in Rockwall, will join family violence survivor and Rockwall resident J.J. Smith, plus a law enforcement officer, to speak in hopes of preventing further injuries or deaths from occuring among local teens.

Seventy-five percent of teens have either personally experienced dating violence or know someone who has, according to a recent study by the Texas Council On Family Violence.

The presentation is also an effort to recruit volunteers to join the new Rockwall County Coalition Against Family Violence, initially organized by Smith, founder of the Lillian Smith Family Violence Foundation.

“Jen,” the daughter of Brian and Tanya Pankz of Rowlett, was murdered Dec. 27, 2002, by a boy whom she had been dating at the University of North Texas (UNT), after she told him she didn’t want to continue dating anymore because she had just learned that he was taking steroids. She had just completed her first semester in college.

The killer pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 45 years in prison, although he becomes eligible for parole after 22.5 years.

For more information, contact J.J. Smith, either by phone at 214-256-4071 or email jj@lilliansmith.org.

Rockwall ISD Superintendent meets with Lillian Smith members to discuss dating violence program

Rockwall ISD Superintendent Dr. Gene Burton met today with Lillian Smith Foundation members Tanya Pankz, Candi Banks and J.J. Smith to discuss developing a dating violence program for teens who are attending Rockwall ISD high school and middle schools.

Dr. Burton told Tanya, Candi and J.J. that he would be grateful for their help with developing a dating violence program at Rockwall ISD, after he attended a recent “Dating Violence Dangers” presentation by Tanya Pankz and J.J. Smith, where he heard the story about Tanya’s daughter, Jennifer, who graduated from Rockwall High School in 2001 but was murdered in 2002 at UNT when she tried to break up with a boy she had been dating.

Dr. Burton said he is also ready to join the Rockwall County Coalition Against Family Violence, which J.J. organized during the past two years, so that the RISD dating violence program will be a community-wide effort.

The Texas legislature passed a bill in 2007 requiring each state school district to develop a program to combat dating violence, because dating violence has reached epidemic numbers in Texas schools, according to research conducted for the Attorney General’s office.

The research conducted by the Texas Council On Family Violence revealed that 75% of 16 to 24-year-old Texans have either personally been involved in dating violence or know someone who has.

Furthermore, fifty percent of 16 to 24-year-old Texans have been personally involved in dating violence, which includes physical, sexual, verbal and/or psychological assaults against a dating partner.

Dr. Burton invited Lillian Smith members to schedule the next Rockwall Coalition meeting at the RISD conference room to further ensure that all County victim resources are identified and working together.

Mother of murdered 2001 Rockwall H.S. graduate to speak about dating violence dangers

Jennifer Pankz

(Click photo to enlarge)

The mother of murdered 2001 Rockwall High School graduate Jennifer Pankz will speak about the dangers of dating violence, Sept. 10, 7:30-8:30 am, at Presbyterian Hospital of Rockwall, 3150 Horizon Rd.

Tonya Pankz, the former branch manager of all three First Convenience Bank locations in Rockwall, is joining family violence survivor J.J. Smith and law enforcement officers to speak and help start organizing volunteers to join the Rockwall-based Lillian Smith Family Violence Foundation, which is spearheading the efforts of the new Rockwall County Coalition Against Family Violence.

“Jen,” the daughter of Brian and Tonya Pankz of Rowlett, was found murdered Dec. 27, 2002, by a boy whom she had been dating at the University of North Texas (UNT), after she told him she didn’t want to continue dating anymore because she had just learned that he was taking steroids.

The killer pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 45 years in prison, although he becomes eligible for parole after 22.5 years.

For more information, contact J.J. Smith, either by phone at 214-256-4071 or email jj@lilliansmith.org.

Lillian Smith Foundation founder finalist for Dallas women’s shelter award

I’m humbled to announce that I have been selected as one of four finalists for the “Man of Influence” award being presented for the first time Aug. 20 by The Family Place women’s shelter in Dallas for the man “who is leading by example to make domestic violence a ‘community issue’ rather than a ‘women’s issue’.”

Honorary event chairs are Dallas Mayor Tom and Laura Leppert. Event chairs are media personality Scott and Carole Murray.

It’s quite an honor, and I’m shocked to have been selected, especially when I consider the other finalists, who are: Dr. Ron Anderson, President and CEO of Dallas County’s Parkland Health & Hospital System; the Honorable Roberto Canas, judge of Dallas County Criminal Court #10, one of the two family violence courts in Dallas County; plus Eric Affeldt, Chief Executive Officer of Club Corp, “the world leader in private clubs.”

The event will be held in conjunction with the Texas Trailblazer Awards luncheon at The Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas, Aug. 20, Noon-1:30 pm. Tickets are $100 each and a table sponsorship is $1,500.

The Trailblazer award recognizes a local woman who has achieved significant success despite the obstacles she has faced along the way. Pepsi will also be honored with the Advocacy Award for all the company has done to support the Family Place, having donated over $40,000 annually for the past 16 years.