Womancare group marks 25 years Grass-roots association in Dover-Foxcroft combats domestic violence

DOVER-FOXCROFT – From humble beginnings amid kitchen table and porch discussions, the Womancare-Aegis Association has developed into a formidable force in combating domestic violence.

This weekend, the association that took part of its name from a fabled protective shield of Greek mythology celebrated a milestone: 25 years of providing services and support to battered women, children and men.

Since its inception, the organization has expanded to offer outreach and education programs that promote awareness about violence throughout Piscataquis County and beyond and works with about 500 victims each year, said Gretchen Ziemer, community relations coordinator for the association.

Gov. John Baldacci, the keynote speaker, praised the organization’s people for their courage and their sacrifices.

He said their grass-roots efforts had made a huge difference in the lives of many Maine people and that their task was made more daunting because the county they serve is so rural and resources so spread out or unavailable.

“It really is unique and it really is fighting against a tremendous tide,” Baldacci told the gathering of about 75 members and supporters.

It hasn’t been easy.

In a large tent set up on the grounds of Foxcroft Academy, past and present members of Womancare spoke of the difficulties they faced, the strides they made and the continued struggle against domestic violence the organization is dealing with.

“The journey is not over as long as there is one woman or one child that needs us,” said Pat Willey Stewart, now of Holyoke, Mass., who was one of the 12 founding mothers of the organization.

Driven by need – there were no services available for battered women in Piscataquis County in the late 1970s – they operated on a shoestring budget from what they could scrounge up and from donations, Stewart said.

Bake sales and yard sales gradually were replaced by more sophisticated methods such as grant writing and capital campaigns. The kitchen table discussions were moved to the basement of a local church until the group could find their own space.

State Senate Minority Leader Paul Davis, a Republican from Sangerville and former state trooper, has seen changes for the good in how law enforcement handles domestic disputes.

It used to be that police officers could do little more than referee between spouses, and that the victims went through an often-futile process.

Now, domestic violence has become more of a priority than ever, he said, although it remains a problem.

“We read in the papers every day about this horrendous scourge that has come to us and has stayed with us and is with us [for what] seems like is going to be an eternity,” Davis said.

Two years ago, 4,813 reports of domestic assault were reported, said Baldacci, who noted that many domestic assaults go unreported.

For Elaine LeVasseur, a founding mother and now a Dexter schoolteacher, the many unreported cases of domestic violence underscore the continued need for organizations such as Womancare.

“I think it strengthens everyone’s resolve to keep fighting, to keep working, to keep trying to make a difference,” she said after the ceremony.

The state is also stepping up its efforts in the field, and Baldacci announced that an advisory council has been formed to look at how effective existing laws, court rulings and sentencing and bail requirements are in preventing domestic and sexual violence.

The panel is to make recommendations for improvements by early next year.

For Julie Plummer, a former director at the association, the tenacity that the founding mothers showed continues to be effective.

“The mothers, that small group of courageous, angry, hopeful women, started something big even if they didn’t know it at the time,” Plummer told the gathering. “Their successors over the 25 years – more courageous, angry, hopeful women and men – are still dreaming that dream into reality.”