GAMBIER — A call to the podium came as a surprise to Joan Stallard and Suzanne Spence. Both women had the right connections within New Directions, the Domestic Abuse Shelter and Rape Crisis Center of Knox County, to know exactly what would take place during Thursday evening’s dinner and celebration benefit, but well-kept secrets kept them in the dark.
Stallard, the driving force behind the annual benefit dinner, received the Visionary Award. Spence was honored with the Mary Hendrickson Award.
“The award winner has been involved with New Directions for years,” said Steve Oster as he prepared to name the recipient of the Visionary Award, a new honor introduced at the dinner this year. He said that Stallard’s goal was to carry on Mary Hendrickson’s legacy and improve the lives of others through education and the end of domestic violence. Hendrickson helmed New Directions for 30 years.
Oster noted that Stallard was instrumental in bringing the Delta Project, a federal program funded through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to New Directions and Knox County. The Delta Project aims to create conditions in Knox County that supports healthy, safe, and equitable relationships.
“It’s been wonderful to be a part of New Directions since 2003 when Mary invited me,” Stallard said. “It’s people like you that make our community a wonderful place to be.”
Stallard may have been surprised to take to the podium at the beginning of the dinner, but she never hesitated to introduce the recipient of the Mary Hendrickson award. A video detailing the formation of New Directions showed how much Spence played a part in the foundation and success of the shelter.
“This is a privilege and an honor to accept this award. Mary Hendrickson was truly a woman before her time,” Spence said. “She led the way. She was never tired, never gave up.”
The leaders of New Directions may have had some setbacks in the beginning, but Spence has enjoyed the ride. “It has been an amazing journey and a wonderful adventure and I’ve made so many wonderful, wonderful friends throughout this journey. It has been truly inspiring to me to meet so many community-minded people.”
Spence also credited the local police forces to help battle domestic violence.
“God bless all the people that were willing to stand up and root for the underdog and see that the laws change,” Spence said. “That’s what it took to get laws changed and for people to realize that this was happening here in Knox County.”
Faith Lutheran Church received the Volunteer Award for their work in raising funds and donating supplies to New Directions. Becky Matulich and Robbi Rice accepted the award on behalf of Faith Lutheran Church.
“It has been an absolute privilege to do this for 17 years,” Matulich said.
Lori Jones-Perkins, newly minted director of New Directions, said it wasn’t easy keeping the award winners under wraps, especially when it came to Stallard.
“She’s our person that has done this dinner over and over and over again to make sure it happens. It was just an honor for us and the board — it was their idea — to be able to do this for her,” Jones-Perkins said.
Similar sentiments were expressed when it came to honoring Spence, who is part of the living history of New Directions. “Knowing that history, knowing where it came from, where we’ve come from as an agency and where we are now,” Jones-Perkins explained. “This is continuing on and all the things they envisioned that many years ago is still happening — that’s the best part.”
Over the past eight years, the benefit dinner has raised $190,000 for New Directions.
In 2017, New Directions sheltered 20 adults and 18 children, housed those individuals for a combined total of 630 nights, provided advocacy for 201 individuals, assisted 321 individuals with hotline support, and reached over 1,400 students through outreach programs. More information about New Directions can be found at newdirectionsshelter.org.
