Annual art auction raises money for domestic violence victims
Nicole Tavenner
Juanita Small Salmon and Olivia Olsen create art during the fundraiser.
Nicole Tavenner
SAFE Harbor Executive Director DeeAnn Richardson talks with event goers.
Nicole Tavenner
Volunteers serve dinner during the auction.
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
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RONAN – Local artist Olivia Olsen sat at the SAFE Harbor fundraiser on Saturday with a paintbrush, a tray of glue and images of a family literally torn apart. She positioned the images to create the collage called “Warped Shadows.”
Olsen said people needed to interpret the image of a man, woman and child for themselves; but because she was creating it during a fundraiser for domestic violence, it was hard not to make the connection.
She worked on the piece while people mingled, ate dinner and looked at other items displayed around the Ronan Community Center for the annual fundraising auctions. Juanita Small Salmon also painted her own landscape piece on a long rectangular canvas during the event. Both works of art were later auctioned off to help raise money for SAFE Harbor programs.
“I do this because I really believe in this program,” Olsen said of the many years she has created art during the event.
In the past few years, the auction has raised around $40,000 annually. And this year the money is going to help survivors with legal services. The legal department at SAFE Harbor was once supported by grants and other funds that ran out.
“This is the third year we’ve been operating (legal services) with the general fund,” Executive Director DeeAnn Richardson said.
SAFE Harbor’s staff attorney, Hilly McGahan, explained the need for the legal program saying that legal services are “the single most important service” for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.
“The only thing that makes it less likely that a victim is re-victimized is access to legal services,” she said.
That may sound like a heavy weight to put on legal services but those services give survivors a voice, she explained. They also give them legal rights with protection orders, a divorce or even help out of a lease that traps them in an unsafe situation.
“I’ve seen cases where people are completely disempowered by violence,” she said. “They don’t know what it’s like to have their voice heard, and with these services, maybe they end up with a parenting plan or other service and a healthy life that is free of violence.”
McGahan says she is the only attorney on staff at SAFE Harbor and there are many cases that need attention. She ends up referring some people to outside help, and sometimes, they end up representing themselves.
“Accessing the justice system when you already have enough to deal with is tough,” she said, saying that it is her dream to be able to have enough funding to add another staff attorney to help more survivors work through state and tribal court systems within SAFE Harbor’s area of coverage.
McGahan went to law school in Ohio, but she grew up in Arlee.
“It meant a lot to me to be able to come back to the reservation and the county where I grew up,” she said. “This is an issue I’m really passionate about. I want to help change values and beliefs that lead to domestic violence.”
And she is also doing that by providing domestic violence education in the courts for attorneys, judges and law enforcement. She explained that domestic violence has long-term effects on people emotionally.
“It also impacts a child’s brain development,” she said adding that the outcome for people facing violence can be much better if they have resources.
People in the community have worked for the past 11 years to raise money for those resources with the annual auction. Many volunteers worked to make the event happen. Diane Grant helped with the fundraiser back when it first got started. She said that it began in Arlee as a little art exhibit with a few desserts.
“We had maybe 20 people there,” she said.
The event was booked in the Ronan Community Center where there was a bit more space.
“The next year we had about 33 people,” she said. “This year we have 26 tables with six to eight people at each table. I never thought it would grow this big but I hoped that it would. And I hope that it continues to grow.”
Donations can be made to SAFE Harbor by calling 406-676-9242 or online at safeharbormt.org/donate.
