There will be a purple glow in Covington and across the country this month as the Purple Lights Night campaign continues to grow.
This will mark the fourth year of the campaign, which began humbly enough with the sale of a few dozen purple light bulbs, and a single tree in front of City Hall strung with purple lights.
It all began when Victoria Throm, a human services specialist and founder of the Covington Domestic Violence Task Force, was looking for a different and visible way to observe National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
“Purple is a symbolic color nationally for domestic violence,” Throm told the Reporter in 2007. “I just thought, what a wonderful way to honor the victims, women, children, sometimes men, who have died in domestic violence. And to support the women and give hope to those who are still living in domestic violence.”
Participating is as simple as buying a purple light bulb or two and putting it in your porch light during the month of October to remember victims and help raise awareness.
In 2008, cities and counties in five states participated, in 2009 the number of states participating rose to 14. This year, Throm said, there are 20 states participating as well as growing interest internationally with a group in England looking at incorporating the campaign into their awareness events in November as well as two provinces in Canada.
“On a local level, we’re having the tree lighting on Oct. 2 for the kickoff,” she said. “We’re going to have performers from Kentwood… the Kentwood Players. They wrote dramatic plays on different situations on violence. They’re showing all aspects.”
This year, in addition to more than 20 trees strung with purple lights through the downtown core thanks to business sponsorships, the city’s holiday tree will be lit up in purple with 2,000 lights for the first time as part of the Purple Light Nights campaign.
“This year it’s blown me away,” Throm said. “We have 23 business sponsors. Many of them are new, and we’re still adding (sponsors).”
During the kickoff event on Saturday, in addition to the tree lighting and performances, Throm said, “we will have a survivor share her story. The focus will be a message of hope.”
Plus the Covington Rotary will be handing out purple glow sticks while the Covington Lions Club will give out purple balloons with messages on them including information on domestic violence resources.
Also during the month of October, 14 Covington eateries will be participating in the Purple Light Nights Bite of Covington, with tickets being sold at Covington City Hall.
What you do is buy a ticket for $1. Then you can use the ticket at the restaurants to take a portion off your bill.
“Some restaurants will take up to 10 tickets per table,” Throm said. “It varies from restaurant to restaurant.”
At the end of the month, the restaurants can choose to redeem the tickets, but some, Throm said, have told the task force they will not, which will allow it to keep more of the proceeds.
All money raised through the Bite program will go to the DVTF and the Jennifer Beach Foundation. Both provide services and assistance ranging from classes to motel vouchers to cell phones and more to victims of domestic violence.
Proceeds raised by the sales of purple light bulbs and strings of lights will go toward the task force.
“This year we have already provided 42 bed nights for women and children,” Throm said. “Bed nights are basically the motel vouchers to keep them safety because they turn so many away from shelter. At least they have some safety and they don’t have to go back to their abuser or be on the street as those are their only choices.”
