STAND raises $26,000 at fourth annual golf tournament
By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Photo Courtesy of Erin Brassard
STAND Against Sexual Assault (STAND ASA) hosted their fourth annual golf tournament in Strathmore, the weekend of Sept. 9, raising money to support programs for sexual violence survivors.
According to Erin Brassard, founder of STAND ASA, the event sold out at 144 golfers in attendance, and raised over $26,000 throughout the event.
“The golf tournament is one of our big fundraising events in order for us to continue our programs in and around the Strathmore area,” she said. “$26,000 is a huge amount for us to run some of our programs. We do not receive government funding because all of our services we offer anonymously and that is really important for us to do to make it a safe space for survivors to come to.”
The results of the golf tournament were similar to last year’s event in Strathmore, meeting the goal to raise in the realm of $25,000 for the organization to host events and workshops.
Brassard explained $26,000 will provide 75 workshops for survivors of sexual violence, which tend to average 10 people in attendance per workshop.
She emphasized the money is tremendously helpful to STAND ASA due to their inability to access government grants and funding because of their anonymous practices.
“That is really important for us to do to make it a safe space for survivors to come to … our biggest goal is to make sure that no survivor feels alone. We believe that healing begins with being able to release what happened to you,” she said. “We believe in healing in telling. There is healing in being believed and there is healing in knowing that you are not alone.”
Ultimately, the goal of STAND ASA is to end sexual violence, end victim blaming, and end the stigma associated with discussing being a victim of sexual abuse.
STAND ASA and program information is made available online at standasa.com, or Brassard can be reached directly either through the website portal, or at erinb@standasa.com. Programs for survivors offered through STAND ASA are made available free of charge.
Programs are also made available to youth in schools, as early as kindergarten, teaching concepts appropriate to various age groups and making efforts to prevent sexual abuse before it starts.