BOARDMEMBERS

Achieving Harmony

Holiday issue20 16

End of an Era - New Director Named

PresidentKayleenFitzsimmonsTreasurerAmyFitzsimmonsJohnArtimezCynthiaBroadwaterJulieCunninghamChrisFreemanMichelleKnightDebraMillerKristenSeibert

VicePresidentAdamNicholoff

Secretary CarenKnoyer

AslynnBelancicLaurieConwayLorraineEckard

MarkGarrettChatmanNeely

KellyO’BryanDaMotaAimeeTickerhoof

OhioAuxiliaryAmandaBrownBobFlanaganJillJefferisJack KahleyJeffersMelissaMansuettoPattyMorganPattyScaggsJohnShepherdAlishaSteeleAshleyWensyelBeckyWilson

StaffDebraHawkins‐ExecutiveDirectorJayJack‐AdministrativeManager

JessicaHartley‐Child&FamilyAdvocate(OH)CelesteMcCloud‐Child&FamilyAdvocate(WV)

ScottSteele‐SeniorForensicInterviewer&TherapistLisaMusilli‐ForensicInterviewer&TherapistChandaPaczewski‐Child&FamilyTherapist

WVAuxiliary

CarolineBeckwithChristyBrandtSaunCapehartChrisCarderCynthiaHubbardJulieJosephMaryLaskaJaneLambieGigiMercerJoannaMerrimanLauraOndeckTammyPareeMarylonRahbarJillReganAnneRicciJudyRoxbyFrancesSmaltzCandySteedKarriThomasMichelleWilson

Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. -Helen Keller In2003,becauseofnecessity,hope,andambitiontorisetoanyoccasion…boom.HarmonyHouse.OutofaclosetsizedworkspacelocatedinTheKing’sDaughtersChildCareCenter,LeslieVassilaroswouldoperateasastaffofone.Withtheirsupport,aswellasthatoftheJuniorLeagueofWheeling,thisdrivenwomanwouldtrulybringtheOhioValleyaservicethatthechildrenofthiscommunitysodesperatelydeserved.Eventually,locationof“theHouse”wouldmovetothecurrenthomeatOVMC’sSouthTower.Withinaveryshorttime,HarmonyHousesecuredcommunitysupport,grantfunding,nationalaccreditation,wellsponsoredfundraisereventsandbecamewellknownfortheirnononsense,nocost,allchildfocusedapproachonservices.By2011…boom.HarmonyHousewouldopendoorstoasecondlocationinSt.Clairsville(BelmontCounty),Ohio.This,herinalyearatthehelm,hasbeenhermostsuccessfultodate,raisingthemostfundsonrecordateachofthethreefundraisers.Leslieisaproudparent,asincereandthoughtfulwife,acaringmemberofherfamilyandour–eachandeverystaffthatispartofHarmonyHouse–families.Wearetrulyindebtedtoyouforbeingourleader,oursupport,ourmother,ourbestfriend,–ourhope.Youhavedoneitall.Weofferourbestwishestoyouonyournextgrandchapter,thankyouLeslie.ThankYOUmost.WiththechangingofseasonsforHarmonyHouse,thisnextchapter,weareproudtoannounceournewestaddition.AsofDecember1,2016DebraHawkinsbecamethenewExecutiveDirectorofHarmonyHouse.Withfamiliarenergythatwehaveseenfromherpredecessor,Debrabringsamuchdifferentbackground,havingawealthofgovernmentalpolicyandprocedureknowledgethatwillbeinvaluablewithgrantwritingandreaccreditation.Additionally,Mrs.Hawkins’degreeworkandexperiencewilllendtothefutureuseofadditionaltechnology.Herdesiretogrowpersonallyandprofessionallycanonlysetallexpectationsinapositivedirection.

Seasons of Change

Child Protective Services WEST VIRGINIA 1-800-352-6513

And Belmont County 740-633-5627

“hope has a home”

What can you do to help prevent child abuse?

REPORT ABUSE! >>>

DebraHawkinsLeslieVassilaros

Harmony house is:

Page 2

 

2016: Harmony House Scores a Hat-trick! ForHockeyfans,thetermhat‐trickis

common–threegoalsscoredinonegamebyoneplayer.HarmonyHousepulledoneoffbymakingthisyear’sSpringFling,ToastoftheVineyard,andMonsterMashBashthemostproductiveyearforeachevent.Itisnosecretthatatthebeginningoftheyear,LeslieVassilarosmadeitknowntoherstaffthatthiswouldbeher inalyearatthehelmandeffortsfortheToastoftheVineyardto“gobigor

(LtoR)HarmonyHouseStaffLisaMusilli,ChandaPaczewski,ScottSteele,JayJack,JessicaHartley,andLeslieVassilaros.

Wow… That’s a lotta people

canlendknowledge,creativity,andnetworkingability.WewouldpreferBelmontCountyresidents(currentorformer)withthedesiretohelpandhavefunfortherightreasons–FORTHEKIDS!OhioAuxiliaryfunctionsprimarilyduringthemonthsAugustthroughSeptember.Formoreinfo,contactScottSteeleat740‐695‐0812.

These guys are my heroes! 2016, so far

1,110 Served in 2016 so far. 641 Children. 909 Served in 2015 Total. 531 Children.

Harmony House, between the two centers, has completed 356 forensic interviews. 176 were done in Ohio and the remaining 180 were done in West Virginia.

52% of the cases disclosed some form of abuse or neglect. (51% OH & 49% WV) Harmony House has served 641 kids, 48 adults and 421 family members this year.

CreatedandeditedbyJ.Jack.

JohnArtimezdisplayinghiswinnings.

gohome”weretheplan.Perhapsthisattitudewascontagiousearlyon,asitapparentlycaught irewithinourWestVirginiaandOhioAuxiliariesaswell.ThankyoutoallthosewhoWENTBIG!

Regardingfutureendeavorsandvolunteering,HarmonyHousewouldgraciouslyacceptanyeventassistanceyouarewillingtoprovideatthistime.OurOhioAuxiliaryisstillyoungandwillingtoconsidernewapplicantswithinthecommunitythat

SAVE THE DATE

Springhassprung!Well,notquiteyet,ithasn’t,butbeforeyoucangrabakiteandbutter lynetitwillbeApril22,2017,andthatmeansCampRussell,andthatmeansSpringFling.Andyouknowwhatelsethatmeans,THATMEANSFUN!Forjust$25yougetacateredmeal,djanddancing,50/50raf le,chanceauction,andthe irstcrackatwelcomingtheoutdoorseasonwithinthewoodlandwildlifeofOglebay’sscenicsurroundings.It’sBYOBforyouradultsocialenjoymentandshouldbeanotherenjoyableopeningtoourfundraisingyear.Eachyearhosts“HopeSoars.”ayearlytributetohonorandmemorializethoseliveslostasaresultofchildabuse,andalsocommemorateawarenessandpreventionmonth.TheWestVirginiaAuxiliarydoesanoutstandingjobeachyeartotrulyshowthatHOPESPRINGSETERNAL.ForticketinfocontactJayJackat304‐230‐2205.

Are you ready for Harmony House’s first run of fun in 2017? AnnualspringpartyannouncedatCampRussell...

 

 

Page 3

Lesliemadetheerrorinjudgementinhiringsomeonewiththesamequirkysenseofhumorasshe,(asshe’llprobablybetheonlyonetolaughandnotshudderatthecrossedoutnameaboveherusualarticlehereinthenewsletter)butmadeanexcellentdecisionasshedidhirea“righthand”thatwouldsharetheimmediateemotionalconnectionforHarmonyHouseandourmission.Goodjob,boss!(smileyface)Sometimeago,waybeforeIwaspartoftheHarmonyHousefamily,LeslieVassilaroswroteaverytouchingshorttitled“AFairyTaleAboutHope”thatwasusedinseveraldifferentwayspublicly.AsLeslieisdeparting,andwearetakingthatopportunitytore lectonheraccomplishmentsfully,I’dliketotakeamomenttomakeaslight,edit…arevision,ifyouwill,toherwork.AnEpilogueForHopeOnceuponatimetherelivedalittle,butmighty,ladynamedLeslie.Shetriedsoveryhardtoteachparentstolovetheirchildren.NomatterwhatLesliedid,shewasmetwithstruggles‐mountainstoclimb, irestodouseanddragonstoslay.Sometimesshewaslockedinherclosetsizedof icewithlittlemorethanhope.Allwasnotinvain.ItwasintheclosetthatLesliewouldenvisionaworldwherechildrencouldlaughandplayandlettheirvoicesbeheard.Whentheirinjurieswerevisibletoothersatherhouse,shewouldbeabletohelpthem.Thedayswithoutcomfortwereover.Lesliedesperatelyneededhelp.Howdoessomeonereachoutforhelpwhentheyarelockedawayfromtheworld?Lesliehadanidea.HerideawasspreadinghopewithHarmonyHouse.Withherfriendsinthecommunity,herclosetburstopen.Themessagespread,likeasky illedwithbrightyellowballoons,tickledbythewind,dancingonabreeze.Soaringacrossthedawnsbreaking,throughthedayandintothenightskies,HarmonyHousewouldbetheretoanswerthecriesforhelp.Forallthechildrenwholosthope,Lesliereturnedit.IfHarmonyHousewasLeslie’shope,thentruly,Lesliewashope’sdream.So…Allthisbeingsaid,Leslie,thankyou.Wehavetrulybeen,inyourfamousfavoritephrasethe“winner,winner,chickendinner”havingyouasachampionagainstchildabusehereintheOhioValley.Anddespitewhatyou’vebeentellingeveryonelately‐we,yourformerstaff,yourfriends,willALWAYSbe“yourcircus,yourmonkeys.” Truly,JayJack,AdministrativeManager

AmessagefromtheExecutiveDirector‐LeslieVassilarosJay Jack, administrative Manager

OTHER NEW ITEMS: celeste, Kayleen, and lady gaga

CelesteMcCloud,ChildAdvocate

CelestebeganworkingintheWestVirginiaof iceinOctoberofthisyearasournewChildAdvocate,beingtheendowmentofourgrantwishlist.SheisaveteranoftheWestVirginiaDHHRChildProtectiveServicessosheisquiteawareofwhatwearefacingonadailybasisandisabletooffercaringcomforttothechildrenandthefamiliesthatweserve.SheisagraduateofWaynesburgCollegebothforherundergradinCriminalJusticeandherGraduatedegreeinPsychologyandCounseling.Sheisaproudparent,asourceofconstantsmilesforthosearoundher,apart‐timefashionista/full‐timeMichaelKorssupporter.

KayleenFitzsimmons,BoardPresident

Kayleen,ourcurrentVicePresident,willstartthenewyearasthenewBoardPresident,replacingtheexitingNatGoudy.Kayleenisveryexcitedforthisopportunityandhasalreadybeenastrongfundraisingforceinhercurrentpositionandahardworkerathelpingmakeourbiggestyearlyeventspecial.Sheisveryenergetic,intuitive,andisdeterminedtoseethatHarmonyHousecontinuestoservetheValleyformanyyearstocome,growingtothefullestpotentialsimultaneously.SheandtheincomingDebraHawkinsarereadytoworkoutastrong,straightcourseforthefuturewithsomenewapproachesbutfullymaintainingthevisionthathasseensuchremarkablesuccess.

LadyGaga’sBornThisWayFoundation(andherlittlemonsters)

WithspecialthankstoourBoardmemberDebMillerforreachingouttothefoundation,wewereveryfortunatetogainaverysupportiveallythisyearduringourwinetastingsponsorsearchfordonations.TheFoundation,startedbyourValley’sverytalentedanduniquedaughter,LadyGaga,arecommittedtosupportingthewellnessofyoungpeopleandempoweringthemtocreateakinder,braverworld.Thefoundationwasgraciousenoughtodonatemultipleitemsforourauctionwhichgeneratedapproximately$1500!Additionally,thecenterwasgifted100“littlemonsters”oflargerscaletogivethechildrenwhovisitourcenter.Manythankstothesewonderfulindividualsatthefoundation,andofcourseahugeRAHRAHAHAHAHtotheLadyherself.

I commit to suppor ng abused children in my community with a dona on of: 

* Friend of children    $10 ‐ $49    Individual 

* Advocate of Children    $50 ‐ $299    Name:____________________________________ 

* Protector of Children    $300 ‐ $499 

* Guardian of Children    $500 ‐ $999    Business:__________________________________ 

* Patron of Children    $1000 ‐ $2,999    Address:___________________________________ 

* Benefactor of Children  $3000 ‐ $4,999       ___________________________________ 

* Champion of Children   $5,000 or more      ___________________________________ 

I would like to take advantage of NIP credits (contribu ons of $500 or more) if they are s ll available. 

This dona on is to honor:___________________________________________________________________ 

This dona on is in memory of:_______________________________________________________________ 

Name:__________________________________________________________________________________ 

Address:_________________________________________________________________________________ 

Please send check to Harmony House, 2000 Eoff Street, Wheeling, WV 26003 

Invest in the lives of children by supporting Harmony House, Children’s Advocacy Center

HarmonyHouse2000EoffStreetWheeling,WV26003304‐230‐220566850PogueRoadSt.Clairsville,OH43950740‐695‐0812

NON PROFIT ORG

US POSTAGE

PAID

WHEELING, WV PERMIT NO. 58

Ifyouwouldliketoberemovedfromourmailinglist,pleaseemailharmonyhousecac@aol.comorcall304‐230‐2205

http://harmonyhousecacwv.org