(L-R: JDI Executive
Director Mary Lauby, Awardee Carol Gomez, JDI Board President Shiela
Moore, Mary Gianakis, Georgianna Melendez, US Congressman Ed Markey,
TJX Executive Jerry Rossi, Gerri Rossi, Angela Menino, Awardee and
Former Gov. Paul Cellucci, and Awardee Janice Pothier Pac. )
Click
here for Gala Photo Gallery.
Boston
Park Plaza Hotel - On April 10, nearly 400 of Jane Doe
Inc.’s supporters gathered together for a night of fabulous
raffle prizes, humorous entertainment, fantastic food, outstanding
company, and a glimpse of Red Sox player, Gabe Kapler!
As Jane Doe Inc.'s signature fundraising event, the annual Spirit
Awards Gala raises funds to further its mission of ending violence
against women, men, and children in the Commonwealth. In addition
to raising awareness around these issues, the gala is also an opportunity
to honor individuals and organizations whose unwavering advocacy
makes a difference.
This year’s theme “Voices for Change” emphasized
the voices of survivors and the many more voices needed to speak
out against violence. This year's honorees include:
• Community Leadership: The Boston Red Sox
• Activism in Public Policy: Paul Cellucci,
former Governor of Massachusetts
• Activism: Trafficking Victims Outreach & Services
Network, a project of Matahari: Eye of the Day
• Activism: Janice Pothier Pac, Director
of Operations, New Hope Inc.
From the streets in our communities to the halls of power and the
locker rooms of champions, this year’s award recipients reflect
the diversity of the movement to create a world free of domestic
violence and sexual assault. They inspire us with their words, they
compel us by their courage and they hold us to our shared vision
of safety and justice.
Gala Co-Chairs Edward Markey, U.S. Congressman,
General Susan Blumenthal, U.S. Assistant Surgeon General,
and Jerome & Geraldine Rossi, emceed the evening
together with Mary R. Lauby, JDI’s Executive
Director, and Board President Shiela Y. Moore.
Husband and wife duo, SQuire Rusnell and Louise DuArt provided live
entertainment and comedic impressions throughout the evening.
JDI would like to thank all our corporate sponsors for their general
support, as well as all our individual donors who came out to celebrate
with us. Special thanks goes out to those who donated raffle items
and the winning bidders!
Our deepest thanks to everyone who offered their time, services,
or products to make this event a success. We could not have done
it without you! See you next year!
(All photography donated by Ilene Perlman.)
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The Women in White:
“You Don’t Own Me” from The First Wives Club,
featuring JDI Members:
Georgianna Melendez of Casa Myrna Vazquez, Carmen Nieves of Womanshelter/Compañeras,
and Mary Gianakis
of Voices Against Violence.
Red Sox Player
Gabe Kapler with Mary Lauby.
US Congressman and Co-Chair Ed Markey.
Honorary Committee Co-Chair Angela Menino.
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