By CARIE CANTERBURY
Valiant Motorcycle Club members Doc, Cheech Belard, Ram "Enforcer" and Leathernecks Motorcycle Club member Jeff Chorak present Christmas presents they collected to Family Crisis Services Program Director/Shelter Advocate Sarai Trujillo, right, on Wednesday at their offices. (Jeff Shane/Daily Record)
Nobody plans on spending Christmas in a shelter. But unfortunately, domestic violence doesn't take a day off.
Members of the local Valiants Motorcycle Club heard about a family spending their holidays in seclusion, and they wanted to make the day as special as possible.
Club president Cheech Belard contacted the Leatherneck Motorcycle Club and Fremont County Chiropractic, and together they pitched in and gathered presents for children and a gift card for the mother of a family staying at the Family Crisis Services, Inc. shelter. They also donated a gift card for a complete Christmas meal for the family.
"We just wanted to help out and show people that they don't have to be afraid of us because they're going to see us around more," Belard said. "We're people too, and we like to help."
Sarai Trujillo, program director/shelter advocate for FCSI, said it is not uncommon for the shelter to be filled to capacity during the holidays.
"When these gentlemen first approached us, we had one shelter family," she said. "Now we are full."
Trujillo said most of their clients come to the shelter with simply the clothes on their backs.
"This is going to mean so much, because this family has just been hit with one thing after another," Trujillo said. "To have to be in hiding and not be able to go spend the holidays with your family and not knowing how you are going to provide a holiday for your children -I've been trying to reassure the mother without giving (this surprise) away."
Helping abused women is dear to the heart of Jeff Chorak, vice-president Leatherneck MC South.
"I had four sisters, I know how that works," he said. "This is a good cause."
"Leatherneck MC is all about helping the community," said Chorak's wife, Debbie.
FCSI is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating violence against women. They provide safety, and support and promote justice for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and their families in Fremont and Custer Counties. Staff is committed to honoring and protecting confidentiality, Trujillo said.
Those interested in donating to other shelter families may call the 24-hour hotline number at 275-2429.
http://www.canoncitydailyrecord.com/ci_19611774
Nobody plans on spending Christmas in a shelter. But unfortunately, domestic violence doesn't take a day off.
Members of the local Valiants Motorcycle Club heard about a family spending their holidays in seclusion, and they wanted to make the day as special as possible.
Club president Cheech Belard contacted the Leatherneck Motorcycle Club and Fremont County Chiropractic, and together they pitched in and gathered presents for children and a gift card for the mother of a family staying at the Family Crisis Services, Inc. shelter. They also donated a gift card for a complete Christmas meal for the family.
"We just wanted to help out and show people that they don't have to be afraid of us because they're going to see us around more," Belard said. "We're people too, and we like to help."
Sarai Trujillo, program director/shelter advocate for FCSI, said it is not uncommon for the shelter to be filled to capacity during the holidays.
"When these gentlemen first approached us, we had one shelter family," she said. "Now we are full."
Trujillo said most of their clients come to the shelter with simply the clothes on their backs.
"This is going to mean so much, because this family has just been hit with one thing after another," Trujillo said. "To have to be in hiding and not be able to go spend the holidays with your family and not knowing how you are going to provide a holiday for your children -I've been trying to reassure the mother without giving (this surprise) away."
Helping abused women is dear to the heart of Jeff Chorak, vice-president Leatherneck MC South.
"I had four sisters, I know how that works," he said. "This is a good cause."
"Leatherneck MC is all about helping the community," said Chorak's wife, Debbie.
FCSI is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating violence against women. They provide safety, and support and promote justice for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and their families in Fremont and Custer Counties. Staff is committed to honoring and protecting confidentiality, Trujillo said.
Those interested in donating to other shelter families may call the 24-hour hotline number at 275-2429.
http://www.canoncitydailyrecord.com/ci_19611774