June 2006

Stouffville Free Press

Faith The Butterfly A Symbol of Hope

by Kate Gilderdale

After studying statistics on the numbers of North American women affected by domestic violence, Tina Marie Dzuricky of Erie, Pennsylvania, decided to work on a fundraising campaign for awareness, prevention and recovery programs.

She enlisted the help of her business partner, Gary Carr, a longtime Stouffville resident.  "We ended up with the idea of a sterling silver butterfly pin, with an angel hidden within the design," explained Gary, who discussed the project with David Barthau of Barthau Jewellers on Main Street.

"With the butterfly having a personal meaning as well as its commonly known symbolism of hope, positive change and triumph over adversity, it became the basis of the project's focus," said Tina Marie.  "The goal was to create a butterfly that had soul and portrayed an inspirational message."

After looking at preliminary sketches drawn by a young New York artist, David suggested asking Carly Barker, a local artist and designer who works at his store, to come up with her own design ideas for the pin.  "She did some amazing drawings and then David did his part," said Gary.  "We changed a few things to make it into a jewellry piece; everybody in the store helped out."

David made up the mould and the creative 'chrysalis' became Faith the Butterfly, a beautiful pin which subtly incorporates an angel into the design.  "David helped see this through for no gain of his own and offered to sell them in his store," said Gary.  "We covered our costs, but the whole premise was to give as much money to the charity as we could."

A portion of the proceeds from Faith the Butterfly sales will go to the Canadian Women's Foundation and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, which offer services and support to women, children and men throughout Canada and the United States.  Faith the Butterfly can be purchases at Barthau Jewellers, the Blue Heron Inn and Peek'n Peak Resort in Findley Lake NY or online at www.HealthHomeAndHarmony.com.

For more information on the Canadian Women's Foundation visit www.cdnwomen.org and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence at www.ncadv.org.

July 3, 2006

Erie Times-News

Hope Takes Wing

Butterfly pin raises awareness of domestic abuse

by Charlies Schelle

The man threw his wife across the room.  She had enough.  As the woman recalled being abused while filming a public service announcement at Peek'n Peak Resort and Conference Center in Findley Lake, NY, in 2005, she spoke about finding strength to lead a new life with a new man.  She said she wanted to inspire people to help stop domestic violence.

Tina Marie Dzuricky, for one, was inspired.  The 49 year old Erie resident felt moved by what she heard to take action to help other woman.

"She was just a great example that if you have the right people to lean on and to support you, you can do anything," Dzuricky said.

Dzuricky, former director of sales and marketing at the Peak, gained support from artists from New York and Ontario to help her create a sterling silver butterfly pin to remind victims of domestic violence that they are not alone.

A portion of the American sales from each pin will go to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.  Canadian sales will benefit the Canadian Women's Foundation.  The pin costs about $30, depending where it is purchases and can be found on-line.

Dzuricky hatched the idea for Faith the Butterfly after listening to stories from friends like the one she heard at the Peak in 2005.

"Do you believe in signs?" she asked.  "It was that type of thing. ...It was just all of these events, hearing stories from friends and family members and other personal experiences as well."

Ryan Bensink, 28, of Clymer NY sketched the concept for the pin.

His drawing gave Dzuricky another sign.

"I drew about six to eight butterflies, then we got looking through them, and found an angel," Bensink said.  The shape of the angel within the butterfly wasn't something he intentionally drew; it just happened.

To him, the butterfly symbolizes freedom from abuse.

"It's a very free insect," he said.  "It does what it wants, and I think that's what helps, getting the women away from their situation."

Bensink knew domestic violence is a problem in America, he said, but now he wants others to know how bad domestic violence is.

A written message comes with the pin -- 'You are never alone..." -- to remind each women she isn't alone and to encourage women to know there is support out there, both in body or human form and spiritual, Dzuricky said.

"It's just something you don't talk about, she said, "It's either because you're embarrassed, or shamed, or afraid."

Dzuricky has high hopes for her pin.  She'd like to raise a lot of awareness and money for the fight against domestic violence -- enough to make it "Oprah-worthy," referring to the attention the popular talk-show host gives to efforts she deems worthwhile.

To help Dzuricky's cause reach that level, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence sponsored her work by placing the pin on its web site and promoting it.  Dzuricky also will sell her pin at the coalition's national conference in Atlanta.

She plans to make Faith the first in a series of butterflies.  Freedom, the next in the series, should be released closer to Christmastime.

Spread Your Wings

Faith the Butterfly can be purchased at Blue Heron Inn and Peek'n Peak Resort in Findley Lake NY; at Barthau Jewellers in Stouffville Ontario or online at www.healthhomeandharmony.com.

April 13, 2006

ErieAtHome.com

Faith the Butterfly Initiative Created by a Neighboring Group to Raise Awareness

and Aid Recovery and Violence Prevention Programs

Did you know that 1 in 4 women in the United States will experience domestic violence in her lifetime and half of Canadian women have experienced at least one incident of physical or sexual violence since the age of 16?  In 2000, 1247 women and 440 men were killed by an intimate partner in the United States and a minimum of 1 million children in Canada have witnessed violence against their mothers by their fathers or father figures. 

A group of people from our local and neighboring communities are working together to bring a new venture to light that will hopefully heighten awareness of a social issue that affects many women, children and men throughout each of our own communities.  The development of a custom designed pin from which proceeds from its sale would help fund prevention and violence recovery programs was their mission.  The group includes people from Erie and Youngsville Pennsylvania, Findley Lake, Clymer, Sherman and Buffalo New York, Tiger Georgia, Denver Colorado, to Stouffville, Markham and Toronto Ontario in Canada. 

David Barthau, a renowned jeweler in Stouffville, Ontario and his staff, who have supported many worthwhile charity initiatives, embraced this new campaign, entitled “Bring Volume to the Silent Voices”, when approached by Stouffville resident Gary Carr and business partner Tina Marie of Erie, Pennsylvania. 

It was David’s recommendation that the original sketch, as drawn by Ryan Bensink, a young amateur artist from Clymer, New York, be somewhat modified to assure the visual of the angel hidden within the butterfly’s wings was maintained when molded into a jewelry piece.  Carly Barker, an up and coming artist/jewelry designer, also of Stouffville, brought the design concept to reality.  If it were not for the expertise and dedication of David, his son Darren and the rest of the Barthau Jeweller’s staff, the creation and production of the jewelry piece would not have come to fruition. 

The beautiful sterling silver butterfly, “Faith”, whose message is “You are never alone…” is the first in the “Spirit of the Butterfly Series” and released or introduced to the public in mid-April.  A portion of proceeds generated from sales within the US will be donated to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and sales within Canada to the Canadian Women’s Foundation in support of their recovery and prevention programs.  As much as this project is about raising funds, it is equally about the awareness.

The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Canadian Women’s Foundation offer services and support initiatives benefiting women, children and men throughout the United States and Canada.  To learn more about NCADV and their mission to make “Every Home a Safe Home” go to www.ncadv.org or the Canadian Women’s Foundation’s new strategy, “Now is the time! Stop Violence Against Women & Girls” go to www.cdnwomen.org.

“Faith the Butterfly” jewelry is available for purchase on-line at www.HealthHomeAndHarmony.com or at Barthau Jewellers in Stouffville Ontario and in gift shops at the Blue Heron Inn and Peek’n Peak Resort in Findley Lake, New York.