Citizen's - City of Coral Springs

City and County Groups Hold Resource Fair at Coral Square
Mall in Honor of National Victim’s Rights Week
Various City and County organizations recently held a
resource fair at Coral Square Mall in Coral Springs to
provide education about victims rights, services and
issues.
“Since the event is normally held in Ft. Lauderdale, I
suggested Coral Square Mall to the Fair Committee as a
way to bring education to Coral Springs and other communities
that lie in western Broward County,” said Lori
Gerber, Fair Chairperson and Coral Springs Police
Department Victim/Family Advocate.
Four Coral Springs Police Department programs were
among 20 organizations represented that day.
These programs included: Victim Voices’, Victim/
Family Advocates, Community Involvement and
Volunteer Services.
Sponsored by the Broward County Victim Rights
Coalition, the event was part of the 20th anniversary of
National Victim’s Rights Week.
National Victim’s
Rights Week is a time
to honor crime
victims and crime
witnesses; and commemorate
the many
accomplishments
made by crime
victims and those
who have served
them. The week also
focuses on spreading
awareness about
victims and their need
for assistance.
Through interaction
with group representatives
at the various
Dr. Jean Kerry sits ready
to answer questions
about Victim’s Voices’, a
program that educates
juvenile offenders
about victims.
booths, passing shoppers were able to have one-on-one
conversations with representatives, and receive direct
answers to their questions and concerns, along with educational
brochures and flyers.
Marcy Markowitz, a Coral Springs resident and
Deerfield Beach High School teacher, was one of the
many passing shoppers that day. As she asked questions
and picked up brochures from the Coral Springs
Victim/Family Advocate booth, she expressed her
positive impressions of the event.
“I think having this Resource Fair is a wonderful idea,
it has given me, and I’m sure many others, many different
pieces of information about topics that are so
important. I just keep picking information from people
here because I continually teach these issues to my
students,” said Markowitz. “It’s high school, after all, we
can’t pretend
that these kids
aren’t exposed
to these types
of issues.”
I think it’s
great to have
such a wonderful
event in
Coral Springs.
It’s nice having such
close access to this
type of information.”
Coral Springs Police Department
Victim/Family Advocates, Diane
Vollmann and Lori Gerber, are
available to help those in need.
The theme of this year’s Victim Rights week was,
“Dare to Dream,” which reflects on victims’ education
and outreach efforts, people who have served victims,
and justice officials who pursued a justice system that
balances the rights of the accused and convicted
offenders with the rights of crime victims.
Gerber said, “The response has been very positive,
which helps not only the shoppers passing by, but also us
as group representatives, because it gives us an idea of
what people’s needs are and how we can better serve
them. These results are both positive steps towards better
education and outreach. That’s really the key to everything,
we need to reach people before the crime occurs.”
City Victim Services
The City recognizes that being a victim of crime
can be a frightening and painful experience. To
offer support and assistance, the City’s Police
Department has two full-time Victim/Family
Advocates available to help.
They provide friendly, professional assistance to
victims and their families through the following
services:
• Crisis Intervention • Information
• Emotional Support • Referrals
• Assistance with crimes
compensation forms
The Victim/Family Advocates can be contacted
directly at the following phone numbers:
Diane Vollmann - Ph: 346-1239
Lori Gerber - Ph: 346-1303
6 • CITIZEN June/July 2000