On May 1, 2017, our sister Jesseka Frazer-Musson was murdered by her fiancé in Bonners Ferry, Idaho.  My family and our community lost a vibrant young woman, mother, daughter and so much to so many people, to a senseless act of brutality. There were warning signs, looking back, that we all missed.  Had we all been better educated, there is the possibility it could have been prevented. We have been working through this unimaginable traumatic grieving process and have decided we need to jump into action to help others by raising funds for local non-profit organizations who provide support & work directly with people affected by domestic violence. We are a musical family & have found healing in music, so it is natural for us to want to share this love through a music filled event. We have partnered up with the YWCA of Spokane, NAOMI (formerly Hearth Home) and Safe Passages of Coeur d’ Alene, and the Domestic Violence Coalition of Spokane,  because of the amazing work they are doing in our communities and their need for funding in these areas. This includes providing public education & awareness, emergency & support as well as many other services needed to heal and empower families. Did you know…..?    

    October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

    On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. 

    1 in 3 women & 1 in 4 men have been victims of some form of physical violence by an intimate partner.

    1 in 5 women & 1 in 7 men have been victims of severe physical violence by an intimate partner.

 

We had our first fundraiser, an evening of live music fundraising event in our sister’s honor, “Stop the Silence”, on Friday, October 13, 2017 at the McGinnity Room . Starting in 2022, we put on the "Party in Purple" music festival in collaboration with Bolos every October.  Since 2017, we have had several fundraisers and raised thousands of dollars supporting our local community partners and have started a new program of our own: Go Bags.  Go Bags provide essentials that are needed to start over and give survivors basic needs and hygiene items to make a fresh start.   We have found that when survivors leave, they often do not have the basics to start over.  We are blessed to be able to provide these bags with our generous partners at BSI Sportswear.

 

With your donations of time, services, goods, or money, we can make an impact so others can become educated, awareness can be spread, families can get help and hopefully, others do not have to experience the pain of losing a loved one in this way.  Your generous support will go toward services that directly affect individuals and families in need of escape from dangerous situations, basic needs for those who must leave everything behind, education and family support.  Would you be willing to make a tax-deductible donation to help stop the cycle of violence & pain? 

Help us to step up as a community & increase the support & become an ally to those who are all too often silenced by their abusers, and those not recognized by their communities as in need of help. I whole heartedly invite you to join us to stand against the devastating silence surrounding domestic violence, and the lives forever changed by it, by making a generous donation today. 

Sincerely with great gratitude Jesseka’s Sisters, 

Amanda Frazer, 

Shauna Kennedy 

Executive Director, Changing Lives and Healing Hearts Stop the Silence