By Betsy Finklea
A building dedication for the Pee Dee Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Assault was held on Thursday, April 21, at their new location 1101 Highway 301 North, Dillon.
This was part of the organization’s “Providing Hope and Safety in Dillon County Campaign.”
Campaign Chairman Todd Davis was the first to speak at the ceremony. He said this office, located in the heart of Dillon, will continue to help to address the problem of abuse and neglect in Dillon County. Davis thanked the committee who made this all possible by raising contributions and said this couldn’t have been done without them.
Travis Jackson reviewed the organization’s mission which is “The Pee Dee Coalition is a nonprofit volunteer organization dedicated to the reduction of rape, family violence, and child abuse and to the needs of its victims.” Jackson said that Pee Dee Coalition started in 1986 in Florence County after some incidents that occurred. The meeting was in the First Presbyterian Church in Florence, and the organization was formed to address family violence, child abuse, and sexual assault. They have grown to provide more services including community victim assistance, a toll-free confidential 24-hour crisis line (1-800-273-1820), the Alternatives to Violence Program, emergency shelters, transition shelters, the R.O.A.R. (Reducing Our Assault Risk) program, the R.A.D. (Rape Aggression Defense) program, the Durant Children’s Center, and community education and awareness.
Jackson blessed the facility and asked that this be a beacon in Dillon County for those who needed a little help and a little hope.
Tours of the new building were offered. The building includes a reception/waiting area, administration/work area, a hospitality/kitchen area, a conference and training area, a volunteer coordination office, a counseling area, and a service coordinator office. Refreshments were also offered for those in attendance.
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Photos by Johnnie Daniels/The Dillon Herald
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