Local heroes honored during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

No matter what challenges arise, every community has its share of heroes who are able to help everyone get through the crisis. Each October, as part of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, SAFE Harbor honors these heroes, based on nominations from across the Flathead Indian Reservation and Lake County.

The individuals and agencies selected represent the highest level of community service and commitment to others. In a year of unexpected and shifting obstacles, they were there to help everyone move forward. The 2021 honorees who were recognized through a virtual ceremony last month included: Sandra Boham, Ellie Bundy, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Health Department, the Fresh Life Church, the Lake County Health Department, Brandi Ries and Joan Sharp.

President Sandra Boham of Salish Kootenai College is a leader who lets her leadership evolve with those in her community. In 2020, the American Indian College Fund named Boham its Tribal College and University Honoree of the Year for her outstanding contributions to American Indian higher education. Over the last year, the college supported the efforts in the community to assist with testing, vaccinations, and education.

CSKT Tribal Council member Ellie Bundy has been a force for good in support of victims of violence and a key player in guiding future actions for Missing and Murdered Indigenous people in Montana. Bundy was selected to serve as the Chair for the MMIP State Task Force. As a model for other communities, the group has moved forward in building new partnerships, supporting policy changes, connecting law enforcement from across jurisdictions and enhancing the overall response and reporting time for those who go missing. Within her own community, Bundy has also led the charge, helping facilitate educational events and reaching out to local youth.

Over the last year, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Health Department had to continually respond to new protocols, public demands, professional standards and ethical considerations that changed all the time. Rumors and misinformation came to the forefront in many areas throughout the pandemic. This led to people making demands, supply shortages, and limits on access to services. From early on, Tribal Health was a leader in helping to educate the community about the science behind the infection, creating access to testing, and partnering with other agencies to have a more strategic approach that made the best use of resources, time, and personnel. With their range of testing sites, mobile options in different communities, and full scale events in various towns, Tribal Health presented a grounded approach that was calming and needed.

Fresh Life Church has shown year after year to be a partner who combines multiple important tools to benefit SAFE Harbor and the clients it serves. They provide volunteers. They participate in activities. They share their resources. Through it all, they show compassion, understanding and commitment. When there is a need, Fresh Life is willing to step forward and offer a hand. Members of Fresh Life, most recently helped with the creation of SAFE Harbor’s new transitional living space.

Amid one of the most challenging times in modern history, the Lake County Health Department never blinked. At least not in public. They went about their business, ensuring people had access to the services they needed, while also carrying out a brand new regiment of tasks. From way back in 2020, through today, they have continued to serve their constituents while also trying to ensure safety.

Over her 15 years in the field, Brandi Ries has established herself as one of the leading attorneys in Montana dealing with domestic violence, stalking, dating violence and sexual assault. She has been a contributor to the Montana Lawyer Magazine, was the 2014 Pro Bono Attorney of the Year with the Missoula Family Violence Council and the Montana Board of Crime Control’s 2016 Innovative Community Improvement Award recipient. For more than nine years, she has also supported violence service providers in northwest Montana, including SAFE Harbor.

Joan Sharp, an advocate for SAFE Harbor who is based at the shelter, is always cool, calm and ready to serve the clients. She is a caring individual who brings years of experience to the job, offering a victim-centered approach. In the last year, as with so many others, SAFE Harbor had to make modifications, set-up new protocols, and continually adjust to ensure client and staff safety. With a shelter and communal living, this is not an easy task in the middle of a pandemic. Sharp kept it all together and went the extra distance to help clients find safety and a new path for their life.