Sexual Assault Centre seeks funding or property

By Ross Lees
The Sexual Assault Centre for Quinte and District didn’t come right out and ask council for funds for their one million dollar Residential Healing Campaign, but will gratefully receive financial or any other kind of help offered.
Executive director Kim Charlebois and campaign member Marilyn McDougall attended the committee of the whole meeting Feb. 10 to apprise council of the campaign and the organization’s needs.
While the SACQD has its head office in Belleville, it has four satellite offices in surrounding communities, including in Picton, and they are now looking for a location for a residential healing centre, the focus of the one million dollar Residential Healing capital campaign.
“We’d like a location in a rural setting with lots of trees, and preferably by the water, if possible,” Charlebois said. “It needs to be isolated and quiet. Confidentiality is important.”
Clients, both male and female, would receive three hours of treatment per day at the centre, treatment consisting of such things as psycho-therapy, trust building, self-esteem building and physical activities like kayaking and rock and wall climbing.
The SACQD is looking for $1 million and has already raised $500,000 of that, according to Charlebois.
McDougall said the time was right for this project as it is a good time for everyone to “step up and do what we can to help the sexual assault centre.”
McDougall indicated they also had received funding from the Attorney General’s office, Community and Social Services, the LHIN network and a small amount from the United Way.
The SACQD won a 2010 award of distinction for its services to clients, and McDougall said, “That speaks volumes.”
She added the two women were present at the meeting to make sure council had the information they required about the campaign and to answer any additional questions.
When asked about the property they were seeking, Charlebois responded, “We are looking for a property with a building already on it. We already put an offer in on a County property, but someone outbid us for it.”
Their report was received by council.