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9 · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, October 8, 2009 7 7th al Annu Award Winning Winner of the 2009 Flamborough Chamber of Commerce Sandy Gray Community Service by an Individual Award 9 TIME: 9 Car Rally & Silent Auction for Muscular Dystrophy & Genetic Research Sat., November 7th START WHERE: Car Rally starts in Burlington at Bruce T. Lindley School, 2510 Cavendish Drive, ends at The Waterdown Legion, 79 Hamilton Street North, Waterdown (see maps), where the Silent Auction will begin! COST: $10.00 per person Registration Noon-1:00pm, Auction approx 3:00-7:00 pm INFO: Please call or e-mail Heather or Ted at 905-331-6874 or tether69@hotmail.com with any questions or donations LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER VIOLENCE-FREE: This year's Take Back the Night event took place outside Burlington's City Hall with a march to raise awareness about violence against women. FINISH Women gathered to Take Back the Night By Christina Commisso METROLAND WEST MEDIA GROUP Can't do the rally? Come out and join us for the auction! All proceeds go to JESSE'S JOURNEY, a registered charitable organization raising money to fund Duchenne muscular dystrophy research. For more information about Jesse's Journey visit: www.jessesjourney.com So, find some adventurous friends, hop in the car and join us for a great time while raising money for a worthy cause! Nina de Villiers had just finished her first year at McMaster University. She was very musical and had a razor keen scientific scene. She grew roses and rescued animals. She was 19 years old, minding her own business, and she disappeared off the face of the Earth -- that's how her mother Priscilla de Villiers describes the night of Nina's abduction. De Villiers recounted the story of that fateful August evening when her daughter was kidnapped while jogging, assaulted and murdered. "It's was inconceivable," said de Villiers to a crowd of about 150 who gathered for the Take Back The Night event. "These things didn't happen A -- in Burlington, B -- when it was still light out, and C -- when there were people around." De Villiers was the keynote speaker during the 19th annual event hosted by Halton's Sexual Assault & Violence Intervention Services (SAVIS). Take Back The Night began in Germany in 1973 as a response to a series of sexual assaults, rapes and murders. It has since turned into an international event, with marches held in countries throughout the world, endorsing one message: women and children have a right to be free from violence in their lives. Halton residents gathered at Burlington's City Hall in support of the event. The night included performances by Burlington's own singing duo Carly-Jo, Olivia's Children's Dance Troupe performing a variety of Chinese ethnic dances and Medicine Song Women and JunoAward winner Brenda MacIntyre. "Let's send our intention to all the women in the streets, in the shelters, the women who are hurt or missing. Let's hope they get some peace from this," MacIntyre told the audience before starting her set. "From now on we're all going to be able to walk with a feeling of freedom and a feeling of safety." The highlight of the night was de Villiers' inspirational words for victims of violence. Following Nina's death in 1991, de Villiers founded the lobby group Canadians Against Violence Everywhere Advocating its Termination (CAVEAT), and later held the position of Special Advisor to the Ontario Office for Victims of Crime. "It was not just the case of Nina that made me decide I had to do something, it was one terrible event after another," de Villiers said, referring to the Montreal Massacre of 1989 and the abductions and murders of Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy. "It was happening across Canada. I absorbed all of this. It seemed like open season on young people." Nina's murderer Jonathan Yeo was out on bail on a rape charge and was denied entrance into the U.S. mere hours before he turned back to Canada and murdered Nina and 29-year-old Karen Marquis of Moncton, N.B. The message echoed at the event was a chance to say no to violence against women. "It's one of the reasons we have events like this, to let people know violence can happen to anyone," said Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr, who was present at Halton's first Take Back the Night, held at Oakville's Coronation Park in 1990. "We've been blessed with having one of the highest standards of living and qualities of life, but violence doesn't know any boundaries -- not race, religion, culture or income. It crosses all boundaries." The night ended with a women and childrenonly march. Fittingly so, de Villiers ended her address with the chorus of a song Nina sang for the victims of the Montreal Massacre: "Who's going to break the silence; who's going to fight the fight. Stand up and be countered, and give us back the night." ems f Auction it Donations o comed epted & wel ratefully acc g ! n find a cure gether we ca To 00 raised! Over $90,0 Proudly supported by W e s t m e d i a Metroland g r o u p All-inclusive membership & co-ordinated family scheduling Join now! We build strong kids, strong families, strong communities. Bring this ad to the get and YMCA of Oakville ut Pass. a FREE Adult Worko 2009 t. 21, Offer expires Oc adult workout Limited to ONE free per year. pass per person