DoVES, INC.

About Us

 

E-mail: doves@dovesatchisonks.org

 

 

 

 

In the early 1970’s, all across the country, groups of women –ordinary women– joined together to form the battered women’s movement. In 1986 there were almost 1,000 local battered women’s programs nationally. Today there are more that 2,000 domestic violence and sexual assault programs nation-wide.

In 1986, Sherry Dunn answered an ad in the local newspaper from The Alliance Against Family Violence in Leavenworth, Kansas. They were seeking volunteers to staff their shelter and crisis hotline on the weekends. After receiving specialized training, Sherry became a volunteer. She later met Alliance staff member Georgia Holtz-Gray (also from Atchison) and they shared a vision of starting a domestic violence program in Atchison. During this time they encountered callers and shelter residents from Atchison at The Alliance. Before long they were providing court advocacy to victims in Atchison as well.

In September of 1986 local services were beginning to be offered in Atchison. They offered a Crisis Hotline (Sherry and Georgia’s home phone numbers), non-residential services and a support group. Sherry and Georgia provided peer counseling, court advocacy, as well as other services to victims. At this time they were known as The Atchison Domestic Violence Task Force.

1987-1989: Following many town meetings, the first board of directors (13) were recruited. The founding members were:

Marlin Johanning                             Jerry Cross                                    Mary Lou VanWey

Dottie Shuckman                            Steve Schwitzer                              Sister Rosemary Bertels

Mary Rudy                                     Joan Adam                                     Judy Sandy

Gunnar Sundby                              Pastor Barb Girod                            Elaine Medlock

                                                    Brenda Horton

Volunteer trainings were provided by YWCA Battered Women’s Task Force in St. Joseph, MO.  The volunteers picked the acronym “DoVES” as the name of the Atchison program. In May of 1989 DoVES, INC. was incorporated as a 501 (c) (3) Not for Profit Corporation.  Marlin Johanning and Charles Tuley donated their legal expertise to incorporate. The newly formed DoVES thereafter sought funding to open a safe shelter, and in the mean time referred women to neighboring cities (St. Joe, Leavenworth, and Topeka) for shelter. Shirley Munson then joined the task force as Georgia Holtz-Gray moved on to other work.

Funding was soon secured through the Courtney S. Turner Charitable Trust  to open Atchison’s first Safe Shelter. Steve Schwitzer wrote the grant. In January of 1990 the shelter doors opened. Volunteers at this time included but were not limited to Cheryl Mize, Cindy Tuley, Karen Noll, Jean Damkrogger, Nancy (Bissell) Shannon, Lou Roberts, and Virginia Mierkey.

From January 1990 to August 1992 DOVES leased a two-story brick home from Fred and Dee Messina. In August DoVES accepted an invitation from the Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica to occupy the basement floor of Hemmen Hall. In the summer of 1993, they moved to the third floor of Northman Hall. In the Summer of 1996, the sisters sold Northman and Hemmen Halls. DoVES moved to a small temporary location owned by Dale Campbell. In December of 2000, DoVES was able to purchase and move to their present-day location in Atchison, Kansas. Sherry Dunn is the Executive Director.

 

DoVES, INC.

www.atchicin.org