Erin Merryn honored with first Wendell Jones Award for her Advocacy Work

As printed in the daily herald:

Merryn, a surivor turned advocate, is being honored by the Alliance on Domestic Violence for her work helping to pass Erin's Law, which requires Illinois public schools to teach sexual abuse prevention.

Illinois and seven other states have taken action to teach sexual abuse prevention in schools, and 15 more intend to do so during the next legislative cycle

Other Friends of the Alliance award recipients include:

• Michael Bischof, Cynthia L. Bischof Memorial Foundation.

• Rita Canning, chairman of the board of directors of Women In Need Growing Stronger (WINGS).

• Jim Huenink, executive director, Northwest Center Against Sexual Assault (CASA)

* Northwest Children's Advocacy Center of North and Northwest Cook County.

The Wendell Jones Awards Breakfast is named for the late state senator Wendell Jones of Palatine, who founded the Northwest Suburban Alliance on Domestic Violence more than 10 years ago. Jones was instrumental in securing funding for a Palatine-based domestic violence safe house for the WINGS Program and establishing the Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Council for the 3rd Municipal Court District in Rolling Meadows.

Tickets for the breakfast are $20. Online reservations are available at wingsprogram.com/awardsbreakfast.html or at (847) 818-2528. For information, visit www.endallabuse.org.

Telling Amy’s Story Documentary Screening at Harper College on Oct 9

Telling Amy’s Story produced by Penn State Broadcasting and funded by the Verizon Foundation, tells the story of Amy Homan-McGee, 33 year-old, mother of two who was killed by her husband in 2001 when she decided to leave him after suffering years of abuse.
The victim’s parents and co-workers, law enforcement officers and court personnel share their perspectives on what happened to Amy in the weeks, months, and years leading up to her death.

The producers of the video hope that while they will never be able to change the ending to Amy’s story, that it’s telling can change the outcomes for the millions of victims, survivors, and loved ones affected by domestic violence every day.

The Northwest Suburban Alliance on Domestic Violence and Harper College’s Human Service Program are screening this video to create awareness during domestic violence awareness month in October.

The screening is open to the public and will be on Oct. 9, 2013 from 4:30pm to 6:30p.m. at Harper College located at 1200 W Algonquin, Palatine Illinois, in Theater J143. Tickets are free with online registration at http://nwsadvandharper.eventbrite.com