PORT ANGELES — Three Port Angeles-area residents were recognized with awards acknowledging their service to domestic violence victims at the downtown Conrad Dyar Memorial Fountain on Thursday.
The awards to Clallam County Superior Court Commissioner Bill Knebes, Julie Andrew of child welfare services, and Soroptimist International of Port Angeles were presented as part of a vigil at the landmark fountain attended by about 50 people to remember those who have lost their lives because of domestic violence, including the 44 deaths that occurred in the state from July 2008 to last June.
Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Task Force of Clallam County selected the recipients of the awards.
Pairs of shoes
On display at the vigil were 43 pairs of shoes and a teddy bear set on a blanket to represent the 23 women, 15 men and six children who died because of domestic violence.
The teddy bear and blanket represent the death of an unborn child.
The two domestic violence-related deaths occurred in Clallam County during the one-year period were Forest Service Officer Kristine Fairbanks of Forks and Richard Ziegler of Sequim, said Becca Korby, Healthy Families of Clallam County executive director.
None occurred in Jefferson County.
Korby said the task force consider the Sept. 20, 2008, slayings of Fairbanks and Ziegler as domestic violence deaths because both were killed by Shawn M. Roe of Everett while he “was on a mission” to kill his ex-wife in Shelton.
Awards presented
Steve Robins, who runs the Northwest Justice Program, and Korby presented the awards.
Knebes was given a “lifetime achievement award” for his work to help domestic violence victims, that has included organizing the Clallam County Unified Family Court and authoring “Domestic Violence and Rural Courts.”
“We have a long way to go,” he told the crowd after receiving the award.
“Everybody deserves peace in their home.”
Andrew received an award for dedication to domestic violence victims in more than 10 years with child welfare services.
Donna Petersen, Port Angeles Soroptimist Club president, received an award on behalf of the organization for its work in support of victims.
Also receiving awards this year from the task force are Sequim Police Officer Maris Turner and the Bogachiel Clinic in Forks.
While the number of people who died due to domestic violence is lower than the 66 women, children and men who lost their lives between July 2007 and June 30, 2008, Korby said the recent numbers are still a “scary reminder that this is not a passing trend.”
“It’s important to not be quiet about it,” she said.
“It not only kills human beings, it kills spirits.”
Solemn reading
Before presenting the awards, Korby read several of the names of the more recent deaths as the crowd listened silently.
“Cheryl Lynn Hayward was 28,” she said.
“Her ex-boyfriend told her that if he could not have her, no one could.”
In attendance was Dana Steed, the mother of Amber Rae Bulus-Steed, 26, who was killed by her boyfriend, Nathan Eugene Hipsher, in December 2004.
Steed had two words to say to everyone at the vigil: teach peace.
“Teach peace in your home so that no one grows up knowing what domestic violence is,” she said.
Hipsher died of cancer in 2007 while serving a 29-year sentence in the Washington State Reformatory Correctional Complex in Monroe.
Three other people have died from domestic violence in Clallam County in the past five years.
They are Christin Stock, 35, who died on Feb. 24, 2008; Charles “Bill” Boze, 73, who died on July 28, 2007; and Noelle Staneart, 35, who died on March 31, 2004.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.