The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Police support Take Back the Night with $1,200 grant By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF 19 · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, August 14, 2009 Halton's Sexual Assault & Violence Intervention Service (SAVIS) has secured funding for its 19th annual Take Back the Night event, thanks to a $1,200 grant from the Halton Regional Police Service Board. The board came through with the grant at its last meeting during which the importance of the `Take Back the Night event was made abundantly clear. "It is an opportunity to educate the public around violence against women and children issues. I don't have to talk to you folks about how this kind of violence is unfortunately alive and well in Halton," said Tamara Vukelic, a social worker with the Nina's Place Care Centre and member of SAVIS's Take Back the Night Committee. "What it is, is actually an event for women, children and their partners to come together and make a statement that we don't want violence in our community." Vukelic said Take Back the Night is a global event that began in Germany in 1973 when women took to the streets to protest a series of rapes and murders. Take Back the Night has since grown into an international statement of defiance. In Halton, this message is delivered in a friendly and inclusive way with the event featuring various types of entertainment from arts and crafts and face painting for kids to various types of dancing for adults. Violence prevention materials will be handed out during the Halton event followed by a march against violence. Finally, a vigil will take place to remember the women and children who have lost their lives to violence. While SAVIS does receive funding from the province for its counselling and support services, it receives nothing to host public events of this kind. In past years, SAVIS has received donations of food and beverages from various sources for the event, however, this year many have nothing to spare. "We're finding that because of the economic issues a lot of corporations are saying, `We wish we could help, but we're struggling ourselves,'" said Vukelic. "What we were relying on in terms of corporate donations aren't really there this year." Halton Police Chief Gary Crowell said the amount of good work SAVIS does is incalculable. "SAVIS, Halton Women's Place, Nina's Place, these agencies are very close partners that we work with on a daily and ongoing basis. We have been very supportive of `Take Back the Night and have been involved since its inception. We have two staff sergeants who are on the committee and we will be very much involved that night in helping the event take place," said Crowell. This year's Take Back the Night event will be held at Burlington City Hall on Sept. 29, with a march planned to take place down Brant Street. Williams and Associates FORESTRY CONSULTING ELECTRIC FIREPLACE & BARBECUE CLEARANCE in-stock items - some below cost while quantities last hurry in for best selection WOOD N' FLOOR We Install all Kinds of Floors "Refinish Your Wood Floor Like New" Serving Oakville residents for over 20 years KAZ (905)338-1881 Cell (905) 334-2270 www.woodnfloor.ca W "MASONRY & FIREPLACE DESIGN SPECIALISTS" 406 SPEERS RD., OAKVILLE ACROSS FROM RONA LANSING 905-337-2066 w w w. c o b b l e s t o n e m b e r s . c a It's our Birthday Bash! FREE Burgers, Hot Dogs & Cake for our valued customers Saturday August 15 from 11am to 3pm We Are Celebrating 17 Fantastic Years In Oakville Birthday Wine & Beer Sale Price and Receive the Second Batch of Equal or Lesser Value For Starting Friday, August 14, 15, 16, 18 & 19 Purchase One Batch of Wine or Beer at Regular Closed Mondays 5 Days Only (2337) 3rd Line 481 North Service Road W. 905-825-BEER 1/2 Price Prepared by you on site. Some conditions apply, see store for details. Valid August 14 to August 19/09. Limit 4 batches per customer. Take Advantage of this Once a Year Sale to Have your Aged Wine Ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas! North Service Rd. EIN STEIN 4th Line Dorval 481 Q.E.W. HOURS: MON. closed. TUES.-FRI. 12-8, SAT. 9-5, SUN. 11-3 481 North Service Rd. JUST WEST OF DORVAL 905.825.BEER 2337