GROUP HOPES TO OPEN SHELTER FOR ABUSED WOMEN BY SUMMER

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- A not-for-profit group is continuing efforts to establish a safe house here for women and children, who are victims of domestic violence.

But the president of the group, Patricia Strom, said it takes time to get organized and secure the funding needed to operate such a facility.

Strom explained that she hopes Safe House for Women Inc. will be able to open an emergency shelter this summer.

In the meantime, the fledgling organization is already at work trying to promote community awareness regarding domestic violence.

Safe House is sponsoring a community awareness and education workshop Saturday at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

Following the workshop, the Safe House board of directors will meet to discuss long-range and short-range plans.

Strom said an emergency shelter is badly needed here. A previous shelter, operated by a different organization, closed in early August in the face of financial problems.

The closest shelters now are at Poplar Bluff and Malden, Strom said.

"I had been a volunteer for about three and a half years at the former (WISER) safe house," she noted.

"I was very much interested and had seen the problem firsthand, and had seen the need for a shelter," said Strom in explaining why she has been one of the leaders in the effort to establish a new emergency shelter.

Safe House for Women Inc. was incorporated this fall and has a 17-member board of directors.

In addition to Strom, officers include Steve Strong, vice president; Paula Huggins, treasurer; and the Rev. R. Charles Grant, secretary.

Strong is one of two Cape Girardeau police officers who serve on the board. The other is Bettie Knoll, a crime victims advocate.

"It takes time to get organized," said Strom. "It's a slow process. It takes a great deal of money to operate a (safe house) facility."

Strom said, "We spent our time last fall speaking before civic organizations and church groups in order to inform the public of what we were doing, and we have received some donations and offers of support from all of those groups."

Community support, she said, is vital in order to establish and maintain a safe house here.

"There is some grant money available from the state and from the federal government," she noted.

In addition, the organization expects to receive about $10,000 this month in money set aside in a special county fund to help support agencies that deal with problems of domestic violence. The money comes from marriage-license and divorce-decree fees.

The county money would be used as matching funds in applying for state aid, Strom said.

In addition, she said, the organization hopes to solicit private contributions. "We will be conducting a fund drive later in the year."

The WISER facility on Linden closed its doors after 13 years of service due to financial woes.

With that in mind, Strom said it's important for any new safe house to have a solid base of funding.

"I think the main consideration would be in keeping the facility small and relatively inexpensive, trying to do it on the smallest budget we can and still provide the services," she stated.

One way to do that, she explained, is by making use of a lot of volunteer help.

"If we run a tight ship and keep our books in order, I see no reason why we can't succeed," she added.

WISER moved into a new facility in 1988. The now-closed facility had sufficient space to provide sleeping quarters for 65 people.

Strom said the new safe house would not be nearly that large.

She said the organization is looking for a house that could serve as a shelter. "I think if we could have (space for) three or four moms and their children, at least for starters, that would be sufficient. You are talking (about) 10 or 12 people, maybe."

A director and staff would also have to be hired to man the facility, which would be operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Strom said.

In addition to providing emergency shelter, she said, the safe house would also provide counseling for domestic-violence victims.