Domestic violence survivors unite
Center holds annual candlelight vigilBy Alex Bridges -- abridges@nvdaily.com
WINCHESTER -- Tears and hugs came Thursday night as survivors of domestic and sexual violence, loved ones and advocates held candles in solidarity in the fight against abuse and assault.
The crowd gathered outside the Winchester-Frederick County Joint Judicial Center for The Laurel Center's 20th annual candlelight vigil held as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Since 1983, the center, formerly known as the Shelter for Abused Women, has taken in victims of domestic and sexual violence.
"Domestic violence and sexual assault is kind of like everybody's dirty little secret," the center's board President Becky Allanson said after the event. "No one wants to talk about it. No one wants to admit that they've been sexually assaulted. No one wants to admit that the person that they love the best has beaten them."
Around the courthouse sat 224 white paper bags, or luminaries, which represented the number of people the center sheltered in the last fiscal year. As the center's board President Becky Allanson noted, the shelter turned away many more people than that because the current facility has only three bedrooms. Strong winds kept organizers from lighting the luminaries for fear the bags would catch fire. Participants had a hard time keeping their candles glowing.
North Carolina Seafood Festival celebrates 25 years
Something smells fishy in Morehead City.
The crystal coast was teeming with nearly 200,000 visitors who came to catch the excitement of the 25th anniversary of the North Carolina Seafood Festival, Friday through Sunday.
“I think this is probably going to end up being the biggest year yet,” said Carol Lohr, who has been volunteering with the event since it began.
A lot can change in a quarter of a century, but while NCSF organizers have adapted to the growth and popularity of the event, the heart of the state’s second largest festival stays the same – to bring attention and business to the waterfront.
“We’re looking for a good weekend,” stated Janie Jones, a festival volunteer. “There will be lots of families here.”
The party started early this year with the activities beginning at noon on Friday instead of Saturday morning.
The few extra hours were enticing to hundreds of local families who came to avoid the typical weekend crowd.
The Pirate student section wore matching t-shirts for a `blackout.' For many reasons, some that go far beyond the football field, ECU wanted to protect their home turf against the flagship institution of the University of North Carolina.
