2022 Wrap Up: A Note From –

Billi Jo Weyant

CAPSEA Executive Director

These last two years, I’ve focused my year-end letter on raising awareness for the new challenges faced by victims and our nonprofit as the result of the fallout from COVID. It was a difficult time, but we got through it thanks to the overwhelming support from our community and from people like YOU.

I’m incredibly proud to say that 2022 has been a year of renewed hope and progress for CAPSEA (Citizens Against Physical Sexual & Emotional Abuse). After 30+ years of serving the Elk and Cameron County Communities, CAPSEA is entering a new phase, and a VERY EXCITING one at that!

For years, we have been looking critically at our organization to identify ways that we can be an even stronger community resource. Through those efforts, we have grown our team and added new services to help survivors find healing and create a sustainable, thriving future for themselves. This includes programs like TIR (Trauma Incident Reduction), which helps to reduce or eliminate the negative impact that their past traumas are having on their lives, and the family-friendly AWBW (A Window Between Worlds) art-based therapy workshops, which complement ‘traditional’ therapy to help victims express their emotions in new ways.

More recently, we also renewed our focus on critical community outreach efforts, educational programming, and workplace training sessions. Stay tuned in the coming months as we spotlight our most important informational sessions that we have created for different age groups and audiences!

BUT PERHAPS MOST EXCITING
After months of planning and praying, I'm thrilled to celebrate that we purchased the former Masonic Temple Building at 9 South Mill Ave. in Downtown Ridgway!

This monumental decision marks a pivotal moment of growth for our organization. Consolidating all of our services into one unified crisis center will allow us to serve even more victims-in-need and introduce new, critical services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, especially young victims. This is CAPSEA’s largest undertaking to date, and the multi-year “Under One Roof Campaign” will be calling upon the support of our entire region in the near future. We look forward to sharing more details on our plans for the building with you in 2023!

I hope that you share in my enthusiasm for the months and years ahead. This past year has laid the foundation for what we believe will be an even brighter future for CAPSEA, but we couldn’t accomplish any of it without our supporters.

Each tax-deductible donation you make has the potential to impact the lives of your neighbors!

How are your donations used?

For the scared young mom in an abusive relationship

We offer a confidential hotline, crisis shelter, and assistance with a PFA.
For the recently unemployed father of three

We offer gift cards to our local grocery store, items from our Donation Center, and short-term rental assistance.
For the widow whose son is currently battling drug addiction

We offer art-based grief workshops, trauma-informed counseling, and valuable introductions to relevant human service agencies in our region.

These are just a few examples of how your generosity can truly save lives. Whether it’s a monetary donation, volunteering at an event, hosting a workplace donation drive, or sharing our social media posts – there are so many ways to support CAPSEA.

On behalf of the entire CAPSEA team and board members, please know that we appreciate YOU and value YOUR friendships today and for years to come!

Sincerely,

Billie Jo Weyant