Author Archives: GreenHouse17 Staff

It’s easy to get caught up our busy lives and forget to examine our own behaviors. Pausing to reflect on our communication and relationships from time to time is healthy. Self-examination helps us to identify areas for improvement and act with integrity.

Is your behavior in family relationships, at the workplace, and in friendships should free from emotional, verbal, and physical aggression? Honestly ask yourself if you occasionally exhibit these behaviors:

• Embarrass or make fun of your partner in front of your friends or family?
• Minimize your partner’s accomplishments or goals?
• Manipulate your partner to make the decision you want them to make?
• Call, text, or email your partner several times a day to check up rather than check in?
• Use drugs or alcohol as an excuse for saying hurtful things to your partner?
• Blame your partner for how you feel or act?
• Prevent your partner from spending time with family or friends?

Healthy relationships take time and energy. Leading a violence-free life requires discipline. And often requires us to recognize unhealthy learned behaviors. The only way to have a healthy relationship is to work at it, and working at it takes practice.

This post is part of our 17 Days/17 Ways campaign to take a stand against intimate partner abuse.

Candy Lightner’s voice changed drunk driving laws.

Lilly Ledbetter’s voice protected women in the workplace.

Todd Beamer’s voice coordinated passengers to thwart a terrorist airstrike on the Pentagaon.

Ryan White’s voice changed our understanding of HIV/AIDS.

If one voice can shift national and international history, then your voice really matters right here in the central Kentucky community. What would happen if every person in your neighborhood took a stand against intimate partner abuse? What if every central Kentucky resident supported survivors?

Imagine if each and every one of us believed that our voice matters and…

• Changed our profile pics and shared information about intimate partner abuse on social media.
• Attended events to support survivors and violence prevention in our community.
• Spoke up when friends and family blame use victim-blaming language.
• Made the connection between human and animal abuse, and committed to protecting family pets, too.
• Reached out to someone in need to provide support and resources.
• Though about how we’d respond if witness to intimate partner abuse.
• Volunteered our time and talents to help local shelters and organizations.
• Honored the unique barriers faced by LGBTQ survivors.
• Talked to young people about healthy relationships at home, school and places of worship.
• Organized a donation drive for the shelter!
• Supported organizations that support survivors in our community.
• Spoke the names of victims who are no longer with us.
• Read, watched, and listened to stories of survival to understand the issue more.
• Purchased Handmade by Survivors products to support survivor healing and self-sufficiency.
• Learned more about the effects of intimate partner abuse on children.
• And honestly reflected on our own behavior.

Your voice matters. ​Your ideas, words, and actions make a difference. Take a stand against intimate partner abuse this month and every month.

This post is part of our 17 Days/17 Ways campaign to take a stand against intimate partner abuse.

Combine dancing and fitness and hearts for survivors of intimate partner violence and you have a shimmying fun afternoon that gives back! With the sponsorship of Altrusa International of Lexington, the wonderful Zumba community has put together an event they are calling “HUGS” and collecting items needed for survivors as well as donations.

Never tried Zumba before? Here is what their website says about the classes (they sound super fun!): “We take the “work” out of workout, by mixing low-intensity and high-intensity moves for an interval-style, calorie-burning dance fitness party. Once the Latin and World rhythms take over, you’ll see why Zumba® Fitness classes are often called exercise in disguise. Super effective? Check. Super fun? Check and check.”

The event will take place at the Lyric Theater (300 E. 3rd Steet, Lexington) from 3:00 – 5:00pm this Sunday, the 27th. We are so excited to have staff participating and meeting the fun loving Zumba community! Thank you, Altrusa International and Zumba!! We are grateful for your support of strong survivors…we too believe in healthy bodies help in healing!!!

https://www.facebook.com/events/901409179906601/

Did you go to Crave Lexington this year? Did someone direct you where to park and you donated $5? Did you receive a flyer that day, handed to you by a smiling volunteer with our info on it?

Then we need to thank you!! Big time!!

Our Board of Directors, Executive staff, and the bestest volunteer coordinator ever, Helue Shalash, just accepted our proceeds check from Smiley Pete Publishing today at shelter!

And obviously we could barely keep our knees from buckling!

Music that will make a difference in the life of a survivor of intimate partner violence is coming this next Sunday! David McLean of Skinny Devil Music Lab has created something completely original and innovative to Lexington. A music award show for local artists to be highlighted and celebrated so that our Lexington musicians and performers are given the recognition they deserve. The LEXI Music Awards! Last year was the first year for this award show and it has gotten huge accolades from artists and lovers of local music and talent! To keep the energy going and to continue to shine a light on these talented performers, David decided to put on a series of small concerts once a month that would have 4-5 musical acts of varying genres…and that in and of itself would have been wonderful…but he then wanted to benefit a local charity with the proceeds from these concerts. He chose GreenHouse17 to be that charity this year. We have been the receiver of proceeds from over half dozen LEXI Concerts with the artists giving generously of talent and time! What a gift for the survivors of intimate partner abuse that we are able to nurture and care for! David also thought that an outdoor music festival to bring together many artists in a family-friendly event as well as raising funds for charity would be a wonderful idea. And so LEXI Fest Outdoor Music Festival was born!

Next Sunday at Proud Mary BBQ (9079 Old Richmond Road) starting at 4pm, artists of many different genres will take the stage! Showcasing local talent and benefiting the strong survivors of domestic violence that are under our care. We are so very grateful and excited for this event! Tickets are $12 and can be purchased now on-line through the link below. Food and beverages will be available for purchase at Proud Marys. MC-ed by Max Corona of Classic Rock 921 WBVX, this event will feature many of the nominees & award recipients from the LEXI Music Award last February….like Michael Johnathon (best folk and lifetime achievement), Mandy Ray (best female vocal) and Chris Hybridtherapper Ballinger (best hip-hop) and Sydney Paige Cubit (best pop), AllThe Little Pieces (best rock) as well as other stellar artists like Haylee Walters and Chung Yen Twins…and a few surprises! Get your tickets now, grab lawn chairs and a blanket and meet us next Sunday to hear spectacular music for a great cause… working to end domestic violence and nurturing those harmed by it!!

https://www.facebook.com/events/860183750742483/

A night of music performed by Born Cross Eyed and Allman Butter. Two local bands come togetherto raise awareness for our mission by paying tribute to the great music of the Grateful Dead and Allman Brothers.

Saturday, September 26
9 pm
Cosmic Charlies
388 Woodland Ave, Lexington
$12 at the door, with option of $5 additional donation

Many members in the band are parents of young boys and girls now, and it matters when dads in our community take as stand against violence.

We enjoyed two beautiful day at this year’s CRAVE LEXINGTON! And each and every car in this photo represents a donation to our mission to end intimate partner abuse. We are so very thankful for all the volunteers who helped with parking at the big event:

• The kind and dedicated friends and family of Helue Shalash…
• The amazing staff at BaK 4 More Studio​…
• Our Board of Directors and staff and their friends and family…
• Supporters and survivors and their friends and family…

Thank you, too, to the event-goers who paid $5.00 to park and support survivors  in central Kentucky.

Crave Lexington is a festival that echoes our mission in many ways. We believe in the power of good food and good music to nurture lives, and local solutions are the foundation of our approach to the mission to end intimate partner abuse. Right now, 33 adults and children are living at our emergency shelter. We could not provide 24-hour crisis intervention services for survivors without the support of this generous community.

We are so very grateful for the support of the event organizers, volunteers, and participants. Thank you!

Gather up some family and friends and drive on out to our farm for a day of flower picking fun:

Saturday, August 1
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
$10 a bucket

More than a dozen varieties of flowers available! Cash, check, and credit accepted. Remember to wear comfortable clothing and shoes. This is a rain or shine family-friendly event. Every bucket picked helps survivors on the journey of healing.

Send us a note if you you need driving directions to the farm, and we’ll e-mail them to you.

We invite you to attend this On the Verge special charitable performance of Legacy of Light to benefit survivors of intimate partner abuse:

Wednesday, July 15
7 p.m. Showtime
Arts Place – Lex Arts
161 North Mill Street Lexington
Get Directions

This delightful play tells the stories of two women apparently separated by centuries who are gradually revealed to be connected in surprising ways. Presented by On the Verge. Directed by Ave Lawyer. With Zach Dearing, Tim Hull, Robbie Morgan, Tom Phillips, Rachel Lee Rogers and Shelby Vogelpohl.

Tickets are available for a $20 donation each. Seating is very limited. Please complete the form below to reserve your tickets today. We’ll have them for you at the will-call table on the night of the event.