'Shouldn't Hurt' tournament provides support for victims

Posted Feb 16, 2012 By Brittany Faulkner

To the Editor:

We would like to thank you very much for your support of the 2011 It Shouldn't Hurt to be a Child Hockey Tournament held this past November in Arnprior.

Victims of Violence Canadian Centre for Missing Children is a federally registered charitable organization (Registration # 130 922 867).

Since our inception in 1984, the mission of Victims of Violence has been to provide long-term support and guidance to victims of violent crime and their families and to aid families of missing children in the search for their loved ones, to conduct research on issues affecting victims of violent crime, and to act as a resource centre providing information on these topics for victims and the community, to provide to governments, news media and the community a victim's perspective on issues affecting victims of violent crime, and to generally promote public safety and the protection of society.

We are dedicated to the prevention of crimes against children and to educating children on personal safety issues, and are the biggest distributor of free child protection materials in Canada.

We are not government funded, nor are we part of any united appeal program. All of the funds we use to operate come from the community, through fundraising events such as the It Shouldn't Hurt to be a Child Hockey Tournament, and from donations and sponsorships from individuals and from companies like you.

Victims of Violence was founded in 1984, after the abduction and murder of our founding member's son by a serial killer in British Columbia. We have since moved our head off ice to Ottawa, and for over 28 years, we have been providing services to victims of crime across Canada.

We have been working hard both provincially and federally in seeking legislative changes in the name of public safety, as well as to provide a better response to victims of crime in Canada.

We regularly make presentations to various Standing Committees in the House of Commons and Senate of Canada, to universities, colleges, schools, and at conferences across the country.

Our commitment is to protect the most vulnerable members of our society, our children.

Victims of Violence is committed to the protection of children through education. Through the It Shouldn't Hurt to be a Child Program, we offer a wide variety of written child protection materials, and a number of materials to help parents understand the importance of educating their children on personal safety.

Proceeds from the Hockey Tournament are used to aid in the efforts of reducing crimes against children.

We wish we could say that the efforts of our organization are no longer necessary. Unfortunately, the reality is that we must step up our efforts in educating the public, and most importantly, our children.

We continue to rely on the concern, kindness and generosity of people like you to heighten the profile of missing children, to educate communities, and to assist victims of crime. By supporting the It Shouldn't Hurt to be a Child hockey tournament, you are helping us to continue the invaluable programs offered through Victims of Violence Canadian Centre for Missing Children.'

Again, we thank you for your support. We look forward to your support again at the 2012 tournament.

Brittany Faulkner, Executive Director

Victims of Violence Canadian for Missing Children