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Betsy Joiner moved to the Illinois Valley from Santa Rosa California in 2002. She has always recognized how devastating domestic violence is and has always firmly believed that working to end domestic violence was an important and worthwhile cause. In 2011, she was at the DMV in Cave Junction and saw a sign in the window of the Safe House Alliance advertising See’s Candy. She came in to buy some chocolate and asked if we needed volunteers. Although she had never volunteered before, she felt that she wanted to get involved in something and volunteering seemed like a good way to contribute to a cause that she felt passionately about. And so it began.
She came to us saying that she would do anything we needed her to do and that she just wanted to help in any way she could. And boy, did she ever! Over the years she has attended trainings and helped out in a variety of ways, often on the spur of the moment. However, her most remarkable contribution involves taking on the task of collecting auction items for our Soup for the Souls event. This is a HUGE job which requires dozens of phone calls and letters, driving hundreds of miles, and talking to dozens of people. She dedicates at least two months a year to this project and does an absolutely amazing job. She likes that soliciting donations gives her the opportunity to connect with other people in the community who care about ending domestic violence. We have raised nearly $3500 as a result of the donations that Betsy has arranged.
She says that her favorite thing about volunteering at the Safe House Alliance is that it gives her an opportunity to make a difference and connect with a cause she believes in. She also likes that her volunteer experience gives her an opportunity to learn and grow. We always look forward to working with Betsy. She is a kind, smart, organized, dedicated, and thoughtful person who cares passionately about the work we do. We do this work better because of Betsy.
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