1st Annual Jim Turner Memorial Golf Skills Challenge

COPE hosted the 1st Annual Jim Turner Memorial Golf Skills Challenge at the Desert Lakes Golf Course on 30 July 2011 in Alamogordo, NM  Our purpose was to raise awareness of domestic violence and raise money towards filling our funding gap.  We had 31 participants and hope for double that number next year!  We could not have conducted this event without the help of volunteers in the community.  Volunteers served as score keepers for the nine events beside helping to set up for and close down the event.  We had many great sponsors, making this event a success.  This was the first event of its kind held at Desert Lakes.  This was truly a golf skills challenge with events including longest drive, punch shot, iron accuracy, pitching, chipping, troubleshot (over a pond and through the willows!), and three putting events.

The event is named after one of our former board members, Jim Turner, who passed away in 2010.  He was a valued member of the COPE board for five years and a true community supporter.  Whether he was handing out COPE flashlights at the Candlelight Vigil at the AHS Homecoming game or helping with repairs at the shelter, he was there with a smile and kind word for all who crossed his path.   

Now you have a year to sharpen up your skills and get ready for next year's COPE Jim Turner Memorial Golf Skills Challenge!

C.O.P.E. receives donation from the Give Back Foundation

Alamogordo Daily News
Daily News Report

It began with an "Oprah" show. On April 8, Sigrund Shoemaker, president of the board of directors of the Center of Protective Environment, watched an episode of the "Oprah" show, which featured GiveBack founder and CEO Stephen Paletta returning for a guest appearance. Paletta was the winner of "Oprah"'s Big Give in 2008, a TV reality show that challenged competitors to be the biggest giver.

Paletta returned to "Oprah" to kick off a new giving campaign, "100 Days of Giving."

Through July 16, GiveBack is offering even more incentive for individuals to start their own online foundation - a $1,000 daily prize to a foundation for a lucky member chosen at random.

After seeing the show on April 8, Shoemaker immediately set up her account on www.GiveBack.org, designating C.O.P.E. as her charity of choice.

Then the notification came. Tim Makenzie, operations director of GiveBack.org, informed Shoemaker that she and her foundation have been selected as a random winner of $1,000 for Day 25 of the 100 Days of Giving.

Since then, Shoemaker has used the Give Back website to make online purchases from several of the more than 400 business partners, each of which give back a percentage of the purchase for the chosen charity. The listed businesses donate a percentage of purchases to the fund account, which then go to a favorite nonprofit. Percentages range from 1 percent to 50 percent.

When GiveBack saysthat people can create their own foundation it means that they can open a donor advised fund account. A donor advised fund account is a charitable giving vehicle administered by a third party (the Give Back Foundation with Give Back LLC) and created for the purpose of managing charitable donations on behalf of an organization, family or individual. A donor advised fund account offers the opportunity to create an easy-to-establish, low-cost, flexible vehicle for charitable giving as an alternative to direct giving or creating a private foundation. Donors enjoy administrative convenience, cost savings and tax advantages by conducting their grant-making through the fund. A donor advised fund account is not a private foundation as that term is defined by the Internal Revenue Service code.

"There's power in numbers," Shoemaker said. "I simply spread the word by promoting C.O.P.E. and sharing stories. I even posted the information on C.O.P.E.'s Facebook page. Just imagine how much money could be raised for C.O.P.E. simply by making normal online purchases through GiveBack. It was easy and adds up quickly. Federal and state budget cuts have reduced C.O.P.E.'s funding by almost 30 percent this year. Somehow we must fill this funding gap or face reducing the services we provide to clients who often have no place else to turn for help from a violent domestic situation. No one should have to live or be threatened by a violent family member. Everyone deserves a safe place to turn to for help. In our community, that's C.O.P.E.," Shoemaker said.

New Report Indicates that Fifteen Percent of New Mexicans are Likely to Be Raped

(SANTA FE) – The New Mexico Department of Health reported today that 15 percent of
New Mexicans are likely be raped at some point in their lifetime. It was reported in the Sex Crime Trends in New Mexico during 2005 through 2009, that one in four women and one in 20 men are likely to be raped during their lifetime.  The data was provided by the Survey of Violence Victimization in New Mexico.

Public agencies and community organizations are joining together to raise awareness about the importance of preventing sexual violence in New Mexico. They are sponsoring a variety of activities throughout the state during Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April. The activities begin with a three-day conference, Advocacy in Action (AIA), April 6-8, in Albuquerque.

Governor Susana Martinez proclaimed April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month due to the seriousness of the problem, including both immediate victimization and long-term results.

“Bringing awareness is critical and essential to all New Mexicans and the Department of Health will continue to provide valuable information and educate the public to help prevent sexual violence in our state,” says Cabinet Secretary Catherine Torres, M.D.

The AIA Conference will feature nationally recognized speakers and will have workshops on sexual violence, domestic violence, childhood victimization, managing personal, family and public emergencies, workplace safety planning, enforcing protection orders, system accountability through court monitoring, and developing protocols to improve intervention response to child abuse and neglect cases in New Mexico.  More information on the conference is at http://www.kessjones.com/events/AIA/16Home.html.

Sexual assault awareness activities are being held in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Silver City, Taos, Farmington, and Portales/Clovis. There will be a District Attorneys’ Crime Victims’ Rights Annual Breakfast featuring Governor Susana Martinez in Clovis, elementary to high school sexual violence prevention presentations throughout NM, community gatherings, fundraisers, and trainings for law enforcement.

New Mexico sexual assault statistics:

Reports on sexual assault and domestic violence in New Mexico can be found on the Office of Injury Prevention website:  http://www.health.state.nm.us/Injury/injury_reports.shtml and on the NM Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs website at: http://www.nmcsap.org/reports.html.

Volunteering value found at C.O.P.E.

Alamogordo Daily News
By Elva K. Osterreich, Associate News Editor

Jane Harrison visited the Alamo Senior Center to see how she could contribute to the community.

"I'm fortunate enough to be healthy and retired and don't feel like I should be here twiddling my thumbs," she said.

She stopped by the Center of Protective Environment booth, and although she hadn't set out to volunteer, she realized the organization was badly in need of someone to help the volunteers.

"After I stopped at the booth and realized they didn't even have someone to follow through with those interested in volunteering, I had to help," Harrison said. "It's nice to become part of the community."

So Harrison took on the mantel of volunteer coordinator at C.O.P.E.

As coordinator, Harrison makes sure volunteers get basic training, are cleared for placement in jobs, go through lists of jobs and special skills, then decides what the appropriate placement would be. She also accompanies them on their volunteer activity until they are comfortable with what they need to do.
"I didn't even intend to work for C.O.P.E.," she said. "But I learned it is not just a shelter for victims of domestic violence. They do a lot more."

Harrison said C.O.P.E. provides education about domestic violence to students in public schools, adults in various venues, and counseling to victims and perpetrators. C.O.P.E. also has a crisis line and provides advocacy for victims.

C.O.P.E. is a nonprofit that was established in 1980 on a grant to address problems of family and relationship violence, Harrison said. The range of services has been expanding ever since.
"You don't have to be a resident at the shelter to receive counseling," she said.

There are a lot of donations that come in, Harrison said, but they are always in need of things at the shelter. There are lists of items needed and volunteer job availability online at www.copedv.org. People can apply online for volunteer positions.

"What they don't have are enough hands to go around at the shelter," Harrison said. "And they don't have money for staff to do grounds work and paperwork, and they are low on clerical help."

Harrison said it is not uncommon to have 30 children at the shelter at a time and volunteers who don't have much time can be a big help, too.

"We have had, in the past, people who come in and read at the shelter," she said. "When counseling is provided, it would be nice to have someone to provide child care. It could be just an hour or two per week."

Volunteers are also needed for special projects such as producing a newsletter, preparing purple ribbons in the fall for the football games, assembling gifts, and trimming trees and carrying the tree limbs away. Volunteers also transport people to places such as court hearings, haircuts, doctor's appointments and church activities.

"It's something a few people can do a few times a year and that would be a tremendous help," she said. "Volunteers can go with the community educator in the schools as an assistant. For the younger children, they do puppet shows to help get the point across."

Harrison said every job requires different qualifications. Every volunteer is trained in the job they select until they are completely comfortable with it. References are called and a local background check is performed.

If a volunteer works in the shelter with clients and their personal files, a full background check is required. Volunteers must also sign confidentiality contracts.

Usually C.O.P.E. will pay for background check processing and the volunteer pays for the fingerprinting.

"All it takes is a desire to make a difference in the life of other people," she said. "We will work with potential volunteers to see what is the right job for them."

Harrison said the people who stay at the shelter also contribute their time cooking and taking care of upkeep at the facility. If interested in volunteering at the shelter itself, Harrison said volunteers must realize the residents are coming from situations where self-esteem is not at its highest.

"You work with people who help people become their best," she said "Every little thing you do is going to add up to a person being more successful in life."

Those who seek help from the shelter are offered services and advised of their possible choices, but not told what to do, Harrison said. When people enter the shelter they are asked to sign up for duties and attend counseling.

"They get a hand and information," she said. "They are not just sitting there all day long. They are attending school, working and taking care of life's business. We have to remember some of these people are working with problems that are probably overwhelming their lives at the time.

"With volunteering, you meet other people with the same values that you have," Harrison said. "If you are new in town, it is an excellent way to become involved and find quality friends."

For more information, visit the C.O.P.E. website at www.copedv.org or e-mail copevolunteer@yahoo.com. Information is also available at the C.O.P.E. office at 909 S. Florida Ave., or by calling 434-3622.

First Row:  Kay Gomolak, Executive Director, Judy Blankenship, Recording Secretary, Tammy Vargas, Director, Sheila Harrison, President.  Back Row:  Mary Taken, Director, Sigrund Shoemaker, Vice-President, Nadia Sikes, Director, Heather Gonzalez, Director, and Karlon Cox, Treasurer.  Missing from photo:  David Flores, Director and Cathy Morgan, Director.  Officers were elected for one-year terms.

Safety is the primary focus of the Center of Protective Environment for adults trying to leave an abusive relationship.

In Alamogordo, C.O.P.E. was started in 1980 as a nonprofit organization to address problems of family and relationship violence...

Now you can show your support for the work done at COPE to help domestic violence victims and their children by purchasing and wearing a “Friends of COPE” T-shirt...