Saturday night students may be able to attend a “big tacky wedding reception,” but it probably isn’t for the reason they might be thinking, and it isn’t following a wedding.
The event will be hosted by Alicia’s Voice, a nonprofit organization in Bowling Green that works to prevent and raise awareness about domestic violence and which may have to close its doors due to lack of financial support.
“[It’s] just to raise enough money to try and continue to do what we’ve been doing,” said Kathy Newlove, founder and president of Alicia’s Voice.
The event will take place from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Veteran’s Building at the Bowling Green City Park and donations are required for admittance, Newlove said. The event will feature a band and an open bar, so no guests under 21 are allowed to attend, she said.
The event was almost cancelled due to lack of support, but after it was publicized that the organization may have to close its doors, the community offered its support, Newlove said.
The support has come in many forms; people have come to Newlove’s house with checks, called her and $2,600 have been donated through the organization’s website, aliciasvoice.org, Newlove said.
The support from the community has made Newlove “feel wonderful that people really cared and are aware of who we are and what we do.”
James Bachman, part time instructor at the University and a retired Wood County judge, said Newlove came and spoke to a group of women in one of his classes this past year. Having speakers like her is important to the community, he said.
“I was a judge on trial courts for 18 years, we certainly had too many domestic violence cases,” Bachman said. “I think Alicia’s Voice is simply another part of that whole effort of making us aware of the importance and severity of domestic violence,” he said.
Hilary Sanders, a junior who has been a victim’s advocate herself since Nov. 2010, was in the group that attended Newlove’s presentation, she said.
“It was very eye-opening and hard to listen to at some points,” she said.
Sanders had heard of Alicia’s Voice and the organization’s story, but said Newlove’s talk put the organization’s story into perspective for her.
“What she provides, it’s amazing,” Sanders said. “She takes it upon herself to provide anything and everything she can to women who are in that situation.”
Newlove founded Alicia’s Voice in 2007 after her daughter, Alicia Castillion, died from an instance of domestic violence. Alicia’s Voice has helped more than 1,400 women in the almost six years it has existed, Newlove said, and that’s what matters to her.
“This is my daughter’s legacy,” she said. “I don’t want to see her legacy end.”
No matter how successful the fundraiser is, and even if the organization must close the doors of its headquarters on Main Street, Alicia’s Voice will still have a presence in the community, Newlove said.
The headquarters of Alicia’s Voice offers the organization a place to host board meetings, write checks for the women it helps and store supplies for women, Newlove said.
About a year ago, the organization began helping to educate women, Newlove said. It has sent six women to nursing school and plans to keep educating women no matter what, she said.
Education helps women in the long term, which is more important than helping them in the short term, though the organization would like to do both, Newlove said.
The organization will do everything it can to keep its headquarters open, Newlove said. The event this weekend may help it do that.
Newlove wants the organization to be able to stay open because the cause is personal to her.
“Because [Alicia] lost her life, hundreds of other women can move on in their lives,” Newlove said. “I truly believe she was put on this earth for a purpose and this is her purpose.”
