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Warmer welcome Waterloo police station opens victims‘ room with ‘livingâ€"room feel‘ ad lighting. Macks on Blhv walts. Chairs bodt ed to the flous Not the warmest image, ver ypid recently these were the surroundings local vicâ€" tims of tragedy and vioknce were given to tell their stoâ€" PS But those days are over thanks to a strong partner ship between Victims Serâ€" vices of Waterloo Region {VSWR) and the Waterloo Regional Police Service, The groups recently opened victims‘ rooms at three â€" police . stations, including the Greg Jacobs Room at Branch 3 in Waterâ€" loo, named after a deceased local officer who worked with victims of sexual assault. The rooms. where vicâ€" tims are invited in to share their experiences, are paintâ€" ed in soft colours, and include everything from a couch and television to books and stuffed animals. "They have a homelike feel to them," said Kimberâ€" ley Clark, executive director of Vietims Services of Waterâ€" loo Region. "A lot of people have said they feel like Brothers raise more than $10,000 in ‘Trek 4 Kids‘ Not anly did brothers Eric and Kevin Martin recently complete this impressive trek, but they did it for "the kids". These two University of Waterloo students called their ambitious 19â€"week trip the Trek 4 Kids. and raised $10,000 in sponsorships. This money will go to the House of Friendship‘s sumâ€" mer camp sponsorship proâ€" gram that sends children from lowâ€"income families to By Cartuin CarpenTer For The Chronicle By Asorea Bamix (hrontcle SNtath they e in their own living rooms instead of a police stamon. . Chat‘s what we wanted to make thenmt as comtortable as possible." \nd ance the sictims are vomfortable, they‘re more willing to share their stories. Clark added. "Betore, the rooms were beige or battleship grey. with two smaill chairs and a table." she said. " They were designed for interviewing offenders. "Victims often felt closed in with a microphone in their face, like they commitâ€" ted a crime or something. "The police officers didâ€" n‘t mean to make them feel that way. That was just the environment." With the aid of some surâ€" plus funding, Clark‘s organiâ€" zation approached the police and asked if they would support the opening of victims‘ rooms in their stations, as well as VSWR satellite offices. "The pn]i(“b wanted to do this for a long time, but the funding wasn‘t there. "They couldn‘t say yes fast enough," Clark said. "They‘ve been very welâ€" coming of all our ideas." VSWR, a notâ€"forâ€"profit organization that provides one of two local camps this summer. Eric and Kevin began planning Trek for Kids last December while on Christâ€" mas break from university. Eric had wanted to hike the entire Bruce Trail since high school. but he still had to convince his younger brother. Kevin, to join him. "I thought he was crazy at first," Kevin said. "But I couldn‘t stop thinking about it and 1 said 1 would do it. Then it came to me that we might as well do it for all it‘s worth. "It‘s the perfect fundrais er; we‘ll camp to send kids to camp." The House of Friendship is a nonâ€"profit social serâ€" CITY NEWS Kimberiey Clark, executive director of Victims Services Water loo Region, sits with a few of the furry friends children can now cozy up to in the victims‘ room at Division 3 in Waterâ€" loo. vices agency that runs 16 programs in Kitchener and Waterloo. One of the programs tun by the House of Friendship is the summer camp sponâ€" sorship program, where local kids are given the opportunity to go to camp for a week. Last year, 117 kids were sent to camp thanks to this program. House of Friendship Director Brian Hunsberger said the Trek 4 Kids is "espeâ€" cially important for this proâ€" gram, because all our funds are from donations. We get no government funding." Hunsberger is hopeful the Trek 4 Kids will help raise the profile of the House of Friendship and their summer camp proâ€" gram within the community. Eric and Kevin had both been camp counsellors and attended local summer camps over the years, and both believe all children should have that opportuniâ€" Eric hopes the children sponsored by the Trek 4 Kids will "have same great expeâ€" riences l had as a kid: pushâ€" ing limits, getting to know their natural environment better, having fun. letting loose and building selfâ€" esteem." The brothers set their fundraising goal at $15,000 and, with this goal in mind. began their trek on April 30 anpata BaLEY PROTO service to victims of crime and tragic cireumstance, opened its doors two years ago. and has since been helping victims on a regular basis. The agency trains comâ€" munity volunteers to proâ€" vide 24â€"hour support either on scene or over the teleâ€" phone. The volunteers then proâ€" vide victims emotional and practical assistance, comâ€" munity referrals, informaâ€" tion and safety planning tips. More information can be found on the organization‘s web site. www.vswrca , and within the victims‘ rooms at the police stations. "We have pamphlets and videos about many issues victims face," Clark said. "We have videos on the impacts of domestic vioâ€" lence, divorce, bullying, suiâ€" cide, toxic relationships... "The victims‘ rooms are designed to provide a safe place, as well as education and assistance." Before victims leave the room, VSWBR gives them a neck cozy for stress relief, made by a civilian member of the police department. The group is currently fundraising to provide care in Queenston in the Niagara Peninsula. Although the brothers only owned sleeping bags to begin with, equipment and advice for their trip was donated by Waterloa‘s Adventure Guide store. Their respective equipâ€" ment included a pack loaded with 60 pounds of supplies: a water filter, camping stove pot, frying pan, tent, hiking poles and dried food. They hiked for about 10 hours every day, setting up camp at sites near natural water sources so they could collect water for drinking and cooking. l)(’&pi[(: living in close quarters, the brothers rarely 583 King St. N., WaterLoo Phone 772â€"1 127 z€" PCS B B is PCS Blacxberry. Mike & Dats 5 Bong in this ad & cecerve a FREE HEADSET ($20 00 value: 565 King St. N. @ Northfield in GTO Gas Bar f www .gtwireless.ca _ 8801477 677 Becont Avenue 1120 Vicroma §t N â€"â€"& DESIGN CENTRES â€"â€" Phona 578â€"8330 packages to victins that will give them some down time from their ordeal. "We want to include things like candles, bath beads, gifi centificates â€" things for them to enjoy," Clark said, She also said the VSWR is accepting _ community donations of childâ€"approâ€" priate items for the victims‘" rooms. "Things like movies. books, toys, or even gift cerâ€" tificates to places like McDonalds," she said. "The philosophy of the toom is to provide support to victims. "We are committed to assisting and respecting them." For more information or to donate items to the vicâ€" tims‘ rooms, call SWR at 585â€"2363. Kevin explained, "I thought, we‘ve been togethâ€" er for 19 years, so 19 and a half weeks can‘t be that bad." argued The only argument arose over when to go to bed, with Kevin wanting to stay up later than Eric. in the end, they settfed on an 8:30 p.m. bedtime, which allowed them to begin their daily 25â€"km trek early. They began most days at 6:30 a.m. and spent a couple of hours packing up their equipment and having breakfast "The police wanted to do this for a long time, but the funding wasn‘t there." They were not experts â€"Kimberiey Clark VSWER Continued on page 5 Phone 576â€"7576 TELUS al