Page 22 - Harnett Life Spring 2018

It’s Time to

Break the

Silence!!!

By Trena Norris

The day I left and started over was March 29, 2001, and the place is now a big part of my life and family. (Frankie
that is the day I call my Re-birthday. The day the old Trena Caughman of SC) He had this beautiful coffeehouse and
finally took a stand 17 years ago and ran. She took the 3 wedding venue and it was like walking onto a movie set. I
things that meant more to her than life itself, her 3 sons, had never seen anything like it. I learned all about coffee,
and left behind everything else. The new Trena started over catering, weddings, and baking and now here I am doing
in a shelter for abused women in SC. All that I had was my what I love. I would like to do the same thing for someone
3 children and the clothes on our backs, a bag of Cheetos, else. Another dream of mine is to have a shelter here in
some juice, and $20. Dunn for abused women and children. A place where they
can call home until they can get back on their feet. A place
I worked hard, went back to school and got a degree, finally where they will have child care while they look for em-
got a house for us and then years later met a wonderful man ployment. A place to get counseling and medical attention.
and this is where I am now, in a business of our own. There I know it may not be today, tomorrow or even a year from
are days my body reminds me it’s still broken from all the now, but I hope to make a difference.
past abuse but that’s ok because God is still working on me.
According to the Violence Policy Center which uses Bu-
I know the importance of organizations like Break the Si- reau of Justice Statistics, in annual reports about female
lence. From a roof over my head to counseling I was able to homicide victims, nearly 3 women are murdered every day
get the help I needed and not go back to the hell I had lived in the US by current or former romantic partners.
in for so long. I’m asking you to please help another woman
that may be finally able to break free and Break the Silence. We must put a stop to this madness! You can be a part of
stopping this violence by participating in the Angel Run.
Break the Silence is a non-profit organization that helps to The Angel Run is organized by Ambassadors and volun-
educate communities on the dangers of domestic violence. teers of the Break the Silence organization. All proceeds
Also, to connect victims and survivors and grieving fam- will go to Break the Silence and donations can be made di-
ilies, and assist them in the transformation of their lives rectly to Break the Silence by going to their website www.
by providing therapeutic retreats, financial empowerment, btsadv.org. The Angel Run is not just about a “run” it is a
survivor-run helpline, and innovative outreach campaigns. crowd funding event where we will be doing all kinds of
fundraisers from bake sales to 5k’s. If anyone is interested
My dream is to have our business grow so that I can pay in helping in any way please contact us at Inspirational
it forward and give another woman a dream to follow. I Grounds located at 1208 North Ellis Avenue in Dunn, 910-
worked many jobs when I was in the shelter but once I was 230-0126. This Angel Run in our area will be dedicated
finally in transition from the shelter to my own home I start- and in memory of my mom, Treva Patterson.
ed working full time in a coffeehouse. The guy that owned