Pictured above: Pictured: Venae Bryant in the far right, below her in black and white striped dress is Suzette Ballesteros, Lennette Cons, Savannah Bertoldo, Claudia Bertoldo, Milan Andrade, Kianna Rodriquez, Stacy Fuller and Berlin Vargas.
On June 16, the Gila Safe Haven Domestic Violence Safe Home/Alderman House staff and 162 women and men gathered together at the Dream Manor Inn for the First Annual Domestic Violence, “Hats Off” Champagne Brunch. The event has become a community and statewide event to raise funds for the victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in the Globe, Miami and San Carlos communities. The Gila House board and the Gila Safe Haven/Alderman House staff would like to express sincere appreciation to everyone who participated and supported this year’s domestic violence fundraiser.
The fashion show of hats was beyond wonderful and categories were; Botanical, Elegant, Chic and Do You Dare. There were hats in all sizes and shapes. The dining room was filled with glam, sophistication and style. Each table hostess provided a centerpiece to be raffled off at the end of the event. This year’s guest speaker was Al Gameros, mayor of the City of Globe. Councilman Lerry Alderman also spoke about how important it is to have and support a domestic violence safe home in our community.
G.I.L.A (General Interim Living Assistance) House, a local non-profit that was started in 2010 to help with the growing need for individuals and families that found themselves burned out from a house fire or homeless. Our mission is to provide a hand up not a handout.
We are in the business of transitional housing a program for those that want to better themselves and provide a more permanent housing situation for themselves and their family. Most burn outs in our local area come from sub-standard housing with the families not having house insurance because of affordability or the house itself not being insurable because of the condition. In addition, we also help those families with children that find themselves homeless from other life-changing events.
Because of the announcement of the pending closure of our local domestic violence shelter last October, some community members and organizations came together to rectify the situation. Our G.I.L.A House board decided that this program fell under our mission and stepped up to oversee this much needed service here in the Globe-Miami area. A big thank you to Freeport McMorran, United Fund of Globe-Miami, and the City of Globe for their assistance in bringing this together for the good of the community.
Mark your calendar, order your fancy hat, reserve your table early and join us next year in April 2019, for our Second Annual Hats Off Event at the Dream Manor Inn.
For a full version of this report, see the July 18, 2018 edition of the Arizona Silver Belt.
