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The Elizabethtown Rotary Club held their annual Holiday party at Cape Fear Vineyard and Winery and presented gifts for children, to Families First, Inc. Through donations, the club was able to purchase gifts for 11 children whose families are served by Families First, Inc.
Marjorie Walker and Raven Webb, both with Families First, Inc., made a presentation to the club. Walker said there is a 24-hour hotline. She said that every 9 seconds someone is being abused and the Families First Domestic Violence Shelter housed 188 women and children this past year. Walker gave the club a handout that lists the signs of a batterer. Walker said that domestic violence doesn’t just impact the adults in the home, it affects the children, too.
Walker said that the majority of women who choose to leave their abusers, leave their homes with just the clothes on their back. She added the children have to leave their homes and leave their animals behind. She said that Families First will allow them to bring their pets to the shelter and they can stay as long as they need to so long as they abide by the rules of the shelter.
She said of the volunteers with Families First, “We go out to educate the community and we talk about domestic violence.”
Raven Webb spoke and said that she goes into Bladen and Columbus County schools and discusses things such as safe dates, teaches teens about safe relationships, dating and sexual assault.
“We try to get them to understand sexual assault is very real,” said Webb.
She said Families First also has a program for second graders that teaches the students that hands are not for hitting.
Following the presentation from Walker and Webb, Rotarian Eddie Madden said that, originally, the project for Families First was an initiative begun when his son, Elliott, needed an Eagle Scout project. Madden said that Elliott and Marjorie Walker worked together on raising the funds needed to purchase the gifts.
Madden said that when Elliott brought his idea to the Elizabethtown Rotary Club, they responded with a resounding ‘yes.’ Madden said that Elliott has moved on but the Rotary Club has continued with this effort each year. He said that the project has made a difference in the lives of numerous families. Madden and Rotarian Billie Hall presented the gifts to Walker and Webb.
In another moving presentation, Rotarian Dr. William Findt spoke about the life of Rotarian Jim Burney. Findt said he met Jim and his wife Linda in 2008 when he went to attend service at St Christopher’s Episcopal Church.
“When looked at the pew I set on, it had the view of a window with Jesus surrounded by children,” said Findt.
Find said that particular Sunday morning, the Burneys sat on the pew behind him. It wasn’t too long, Findt said he looked at that stained glass window and saw the dedication on it was from Jim and Linda Burney.
“Jim was very faithful to the church and I realized why he liked that pew and that window,” said Findt.
He said Jim’s had a great love for children, he served on the church vestry, he also served on diocese of the church.
Findt said Jim served in the Air Force and that is where he met Linda. Findt said that Linda was Massachusetts and Jim was from Clarkton. They married shortly after meeting and he served as vice-president of her family’s company. Findt said Burney was active in Rotary in Massachusetts and when they moved back to Clarkton he was active in the Clarkton Rotary Club until it closed. Findt said that Jim eventually joined the Elizabethtown Rotary Club and has served this club faithfully until he fell ill.
Findt said that it was especially fitting the Jim Burney was honored with a Paul Harris Fellowship in his memory. President Charlotte Smith presented the Paul Harris Fellow to Jim’s wife, Linda.
The club also held a drawing for a Mossberg 12 gauge pump action shotgun which was won by Johnny Anderson and President Charlotte Smith presented new member packets to new members Ginger Tatum and Whitley Ward.
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