WESTLOCK – The Hope Centre hosted its annual Symposium on March 17, started nine years, with the theme of purpose passion and power.
“Our purpose is to celebrate the historical success and achievements of strong women all over the globe” said Sylvia Yoder, Hope Resource Centre Executive Director.
“We need to pull together in a unified sense and that's the common theme of our symposium. A circle of hope.”
Yoder organized the event with a youth council made up of 4 local youth who contributed to the event with an interactive discussion on topics they chose supporting the theme.
Mayor Jon Kramer made the opening comments and discussed the Town of Westlock’s housing strategy including what is currently happening and vision for what is planned.
Leslie Phillips was the first featured speaker.
She is the Regional Lead for the Primary Care Network in Westlock and Athabasca areas, and an original symposium planning partner with Hope Centre.
Phillips’ powerful presentation covered historical medical contributions women have made for medical advancements with benefits to this day.
Westlock is getting new doctors in the community.
Phillips provided a brief orientation to the group in how to accurately document doctor’s names and basic information to accommodate evolving processes in care.
Westlock is lucky to have new doctors joining our community and offering medical services.
The youth panel ranged from 10 years to 19 years of age.
The group captured attention with their authentic, courageous words focused on purpose, passion and power while speaking to a group of 100+ people.
Doctor Shelby Kimura was the afternoon presenter at the symposium.
Her symposium topic was ‘No One is safe until everyone is safe’, addressing how animals are impacted by domestic violence and abuse.
They are used as coercive control tools by the perpetrator to establish power and control over their victims.
Kimura said that this is the missing link that no one really talks about.
Domestic Violence victims stay in an abuse environment to protect their animals whether they are pets, horses, or livestock.
Yoder said these victims would rather die than leave their animals to the actions of their abuser.
Kimura’s presentation included compelling facts revealing a grim correlation between domestic violence and animal abuse.
Her presentation confirmed the urgency of advocacy for animals exposed to domestic violence and abuse.
The statistics provided were frightening.
Thirty-six percent of abused women said their abusers threatened or harmed their animals.
Eighty-five percent of the time, the threats against animals are carried out.
Kimura is a veterinarian who runs a pet facility called Petfinity in the Calgary area and has set up a charity, the PEtfinity Foundation.
Yoder said that the Hope Centre joins Kimura in her advocacy for animals with respect and gratitude for her amazing work in creating safety for a population unable to speak for themselves.
The Hope Centre partners with the SPCA PetSafekeeping program that provides temporary shelter and qualified care for pets of domestic violence victims having to flee abuse.
They have seen abuse against animals in many of the domestic violence cases they support within the community according to Yoder.
The symposium hummed throughout the day with a cohesive sense of community, bringing people together to be encouraged, inspired, informed and needed.
The purpose of the symposium was to remind all who attended they are not alone.
Together everyone listened, learned and leaned on the strengths of each other; leaving the event with empowered hope, as per Yoder.
