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11.09.04 Philo women show a banner created to raise awareness of domestic violence Philo Women spotlight domestic violence issue During the month of October, members of the Erskine College Philomelean Literary Society, also known as the Philo Women, focused on the problem of domestic violence. The group chose a creative way to raise both awareness of the problem and money to combat it, producing an eye-catching banner in the process. Junior Catherine Meggs, who coordinates fund-raising and publicity for the organization, said that according to the American Psychological Association, one out of every three women experiences at least one physical assault by a partner. "There are 13 women in our society, so according to this statistic, it is easily conceivable that four of our sisters have already experienced domestic violence," Meggs said. For their October project, society members asked students and other members of the campus community to donate money, dip their hands in paint, and place their handprints on a banner. "The banner that the handprints went on said, 'These hands won't hurt,'" Meggs explained. "Each handprint was one dollar, and it served as a personal pledge against domestic violence." Setting up on campus to collect handprints and contributions each Tuesday and Thursday during the month of October, the society raised about $100, Meggs said. "More importantly, that means we had about 100 people pledge against domestic violence," she said. The banner will be displayed in Moffatt Dining Hall. Money raised will go to help safe homes in Laurens, Abbeville and Greenwood, Meggs said. The Philomathean Literary Society, also known as the Philo Men, conducted a clothes drive during October to help the Philo Women with their campaign. Meggs said the banner and ribbons were the only fund-raising efforts the women made for their project, but the society also sponsored a poetry contest for high school students based on the project theme. The women conducted a preliminary judging of the poems submitted and asked a faculty and staff team of judges to make the final decision. The team included English professors Dr. William Crenshaw and Dr. Bill Reames; Vice President for Student Services and Athletics Monty Wooley; and Student Activities Director Brooke Clinton. "We received almost 60 poems from Laurens and Abbeville High," Meggs said. Jessica Parker of Abbeville High School won the contest, and her poem was read during halftime at Erskine's final home soccer game Oct. 30. Parker will also receive a gift certificate to Outback Steakhouse. The October service project is one of several the Philo Women have undertaken. "We turned in shoeboxes for Haiti this month, and we always do Operation Christmas Child," Meggs said. "We did the Cinderella project last year where prom dresses and jewelry were donated for underprivileged girls and we also participated in Adopt-a-Highway." Meggs said the Philo Women expect to add more projects to their list. "We are brainstorming about what we want to do next semester, and we are planning a Christmas project," she said. "The members of the group have been working hard to make our society one that the school cannot live without," Meggs said. "We are trying to do that through service projects and being active in the school and community." Leaders of the Philomelean Literary Society include senior Elizabeth Tuggle, president; junior Chacee Whittington, vice president; junior Melissa Woods, treasurer; junior Danielle Bauer, secretary; sophomore Katy Jackson, service chair; and Meggs, fund-raising and publicity chair. Meggs said information on the problem of domestic violence can be found at the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence Web site: www.ncadv.org
From left to right, back row, Jessie Hock, Lisa Mosley, Lisa Wheeler, Leigh Gray |
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