Last Thursday, December 3, the Hope. Heal. Grow. Virtual Event marked the launch of Lotus’s Impact Auction, a new way for the community to support survivors, children, and families served by Lotus. The virtual event featured survivors who shared their inspiring stories and ongoing journeys through the Lotus Children’s Advocacy Center and Sexual Violence Resource Center.
Meet a Survivor
Survivors in the community, including as Stephanie Norris, shared their stories at the Virtual Event. Norris says, “sexual abuse has definitely affected my life because I have experienced it. I experienced it as a child and I suppressed those memories for 30 years. Through word of mouth, I was able to get into therapy at Lotus. I loved it so much—I loved all the ladies that were there, and I knew I had a place there.”
Norris now volunteers as a member of the Lotus Survivors Council. She finds hope by helping others to heal and says,
“I knew that if it helped one person it was worth all the pain.”
Norris and many others embody the hope and resilience that Lotus creates in the community.
The Story of the Lotus
The event included an interactive activity led by local artist Jean Rhodes. Jean walked participants through the creation of an origami lotus flower.
The event ended with the kick-off of Lotus’s Impact Auction to raise funds for the Art & Science of Healing initiative and the Sanctuary Project. Each of the items on the auction list will go to providing a nurturing and healing environment to inspire hope, healing, and growth for survivors and families.
You Can Get Involved and Support Survivors in Our Community
The Hope. Heal. Grow. Virtual Event was only the beginning of a greater opportunity to make an impact! This giving season, your donation to Lotus helps sustain the art and science of healing for survivors, children, and families in our community.
We invite you to visit our Impact Auction to learn more about how your gift of any amount can make a difference. Your donation will sponsor a piece of inspirational art in our service areas, create a sanctuary of healing at our Paducah campus, or support a survivor through our specialized intervention and restorative services.
Make a difference and make a year-end gift to support survivors of child abuse and sexual violence at impactauction.hopehealgrow.org.
To learn more about Thursdays event, watch the Virtual Event video now. You can also view our feature on WPSD.
