Beaumont hosts drives, ceremony for domestic violence awareness

A “Silent Witness Remembrance Service,” honoring domestic violence victims in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties, will be held on Monday, Oct. 3, 2:30 p.m., at Beaumont Hospital, Troy.

The event will feature an address by Valentina Djelaj, a Beaumont, Troy Emergency Center employee, whose mother was a victim of domestic violence.

The ceremony will be held in the lower level classrooms adjacent to the Garden Café at Beaumont, Troy, 44201 Dequindre Road. The public is invited to attend.

This special remembrance ceremony, kicking off “National Domestic Violence Awareness Month,” will include reading the names and sharing the stories of Michigan women, children and men who lost their lives last year due to domestic violence. Life-size silhouettes known as “silent witnesses” will be displayed depicting the stories of the tragic deaths of domestic violence victims.

“Domestic violence is one of our nation’s greatest health concerns,” Cathleen Meikle, R.N., Beaumont Hospital, co-chair of the domestic violence committee, said. “Our hope is that this event will help create greater awareness of domestic violence throughout the community.”

In addition to the ceremony, donations of items, such as retail gift cards, food, toiletries, cellphones and household supplies, will be collected throughout the month of October at Beaumont Hospital, Troy and Beaumont Hospital, Grosse Pointe. All items collected will be distributed to two local domestic violence shelters: HAVEN in Oakland County and Turning Point in Macomb County.

Employees at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak are donating funds for a playroom make-over at HAVEN.