A local family law firm is getting close to wrapping up two of its campaigns to raise funds for Cochrane’s Big Hill Haven Women’s Shelter. Resolve Legal Group has sold over $1,000 worth of bracelets from their purple wristband campaign in support of family violence month combined with its funds raised from its Bricks and Mortar campaign, an initiative where people can donate money and have a faux brick with their name on it go up on the firm’s wall. The shelter is currently in the planning and development stage. The shelter will be designed to support women and children who are suffering abuse of any kind and who need to leave a violent home. Cyndy Morin, a lawyer with the firm, said she’s had far too many clients needing to seek help in Calgary shelters, which is why she wanted to help advocate for a safe refuge within the town. “People should be able to access essential services in the community where they live,” Morin said. “I’m a survivor of domestic violence myself, so when I heard that Cochrane was building a shelter it was a project that I definitely wanted to get involved in.” Morin said an important piece of the Big Hill Haven shelter is the lessened likelihood of having to uproot children from their daily lives by keeping them in the Cochrane community. “Thank God I didn’t have to do that with my kids because we were living in Calgary but I couldn’t imagine how difficult that would be for kids to be in a bad circumstance and also then leave their friends and neighbours and schools and what not just to feel safe,” she said. “The kids and their families need the support within their own communities so they can thrive instead of just band-aiding a situation and causing a different problem which is feeling even more isolated from the community.” The wristband campaign is wrapping up and the Bricks and Mortar initiative will continue until Dec. 21.
