Grande Prairie & District Victim Services

Have you checked out our NEW Website? Since we turned 30 this year, we decided it was time to update that as well as our logo! http://www.grandeprairievictimservices.com

Mental Health Check In. With the new landscape our society is facing, many of us are becoming increasingly uncertain of our future. Here at GP&DVSU, we want to make sure the resources in our community are accessible. Many thanks to our friends at RCSP for creating this list. Resource Centre for Suicide Prevention - RCSP has created a list of counsellors and supports in the Grande Prairie that can help.... A counsellor is a valuable resource in sorting out your thoughts and emotions, no matter what you're going through or needing help with. Many counsellors are offering virtual and online appointments to help people while also maintaining social distance.

May 30, 2020 In the interest of public safety, we regret to inform you that that our emergency shelter has had a positive COVID-19 case. We have been able to w...ork with our sister shelters and local hotels to modify our services to continue to support those that are experiencing family violence. Please continue to reach out if you are not safe for help, call our crisis line at 780-532-2672. All other programming will continue to run, virtually. Anyone that has concerns is asked to call 811 to receive advice. We will continue to inform you as we hear more information and as things continue to change. We thank you for your understanding and encourage you to email our Executive Director, Lisa Watson at [email protected] for any questions directly. Respectfully, Lisa Watson Executive Director

Thank you Daniel! It’s support from companies like Troubadour Trucking & Earth Works Inc., and their employees that enable us to keep working hard for our community. We are grateful you chose us for your Birthday Fundraiser!

Mental Health Check In. With the new landscape our society is facing, many of us are becoming increasingly uncertain of our future. Here at GP&DVSU, we want to make sure the resources in our community are accessible. Many thanks to our friends at RCSP for creating this list. Resource Centre for Suicide Prevention - RCSP has created a list of counsellors and supports in the Grande Prairie that can help.... A counsellor is a valuable resource in sorting out your thoughts and emotions, no matter what you're going through or needing help with. Many counsellors are offering virtual and online appointments to help people while also maintaining social distance.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE Isolation may have shattered many physical Domestic, and Family Violence supports for you, but there is still help. Call 911 if you, or someone you know is in immediate danger... Call the Alberta Family Violence information Line @ 780.310.1818 where help is offered anonymously and in over 170 languages Visit www.alberta.ca/family-violence-find-supports.aspx Call 780.830.5755 where a Grande Prairie & District Victim Services worker can assist you, and provide information and help with Protection Orders, Safer Spaces (Vacating a lease/rental agreement), and Information for funding for fleeing an abusive relationship, as well as many resources, & referrals in the community Text or call a support person (friend, family, clergy, etc.) if safe to do so, and set up a ‘Safe Word’, or a ‘Funny GIF’ that indicates you need HELP

*************************************************Please read, and forward to anyone you know that could use this service! ****************************************** Grande Prairie & District Victim Services has been serving our community for over 30 years, and we are not going to let COVID 19 stop us from doing that. Seniors and/or vulnerable members of our community that are unable to leave their home, or simply unable to take the risk due to their health, shouldn't have t...o go without, and we are hoping to make life a little less scary for them. We are offering FREE delivery of groceries, prescriptions, and essentials for those in our community that have become the most vulnerable in light of this virus. This includes the 14 day self quarantines!!! If you order your groceries, prescriptions, and incidentals online or by phone, we will pick them up and deliver to your door. We’ll knock or text, and can leave them on the porch if you don’t want any human contact. Before ordering your items, call us at 780.830.5897 to ask for a pickup time. If you need help with online ordering, we can help with that too! You can also message us right here on Facebook! Stay safe, be kind, & remember to take care of you.

COVID-19 UPDATE Effective immediately: Grande Prairie & District Victim Services has made the decision to temporarily close our office due to the recent developments of COVID-19. HOWEVER, we are still working, and available during office hours as our staff has decided to work from home for the time being. If you have any questions during this time, we can still be reached at 789.830.5755, or by email [email protected] We are in unprecedented times, so we all must take unprecedented measures. Stay safe, be kind, and remember to take care of you.

It is important in these unprecedented times to look after ourselves, and those around us. Not just our physical health, but our mental health as well.

Important Information regarding our Justice System and COVID 19.

Four Black Horses Four black horses without riders Galloped the Alberta plain; Four black horses, sent from depot... To bring them back again; Four black horses with empty saddles Racing the cold prairie sun; Four black horses arrive at the farmyard As the last bullet leaves the gun; Four black horses stand with head bowed Wait ‘til the echoes subside; Four black horses turn as they’re mounted, Now their heads held high with pride, Four mounted policemen take hold of the reins Spur their mounts hold lances high; Four black horses, red surge in the saddles, Disappear in the Alberta sky. RCMP K Divison, Mayerthorpe Detachment lost 4 members in the line of duty March 3, 2005. Today is the 15yr anniversary. We would like to honour those four Members today. The poem in the picture was written by retired Langley City Fire Chief Jim McGregor to commemorate their loss. Cst. Peter C. Schiemann Reg. #48064 In the Line of Duty - #209 Cst. Lionide (Leo) N. Johnston Reg. #48568 In the Line of Duty - #207 Cst. Anthony F. O. Gordon Reg. #49673 In the Line of Duty - #206 Cst. Brock W. Myrol Reg. #51874 In the Line of Duty - #208

Thank you to Leisa, & Oliver's Funeral Home & Crematorium for hosting a great night of training for our devoted Staff and Volunteer Advocates. Thank you for the venue, caffeine, and delicious treats! We are so very proud of our Volunteers, and like to take every opportunity we can to acknowledge their dedication, and commitment to GPVSU. Without them, and the many businesses in our community supporting us and our growth, we just wouldn’t be able to serve our city and surrounding communities.

Grande Prairie Victim Services is an amazing organization to volunteer with. The staff do a great job of supporting the volunteers, making sure that you have a positive experience. We are currently seeking Board Members and Volunteer Advocates. For more information please visit our website. We would love to hear from you - and you will love being a volunteer and making a difference in Grande Prairie and District. https://www.grandeprairievictimservices.com/volunteer

A perfect start to 2020! Thank you SECURE Energy Services Inc. for your generosity! It’s businesses like yours that enable us to continue to support our community!