Our speaker for February 22, 2024, was Stephanie Olsen, the Family Justice Center’s (“FJC”) Administrative Coordinator. Stephanie has a master’s degree in clinical psychology and started work as the Administrative Coordinator at the FJC in 2021. Stephanie is certified in trauma-informed care and motivational interviewing. She has years of experience in case management and advocacy in her work with current and former foster care youth in Sonoma County. Stephanie worked closely with Steve Worthen when he was the president of the FJC Board of Directors. The FJC is a division of the Sonoma County District Attorney’s office. There are 140 family justice centers in the U.S., with 24 in California. The FJC is a collaborative with multiple partner agencies who work together to provide victims of domestic and other violence with a variety of resources under one roof. The FJC will be the recipient of donations from Sunrise’s annual fundraiser this year.

Stephanie spoke to us about the FJC’s Camp Hope program, which provides eligible children between ages 7-17 with a 6-day, sleep-away summer camp focused on creating hope and healing through collaborative, trauma-informed care. The camp serves children impacted by domestic violence and related traumas. The main goal is to help children believe in themselves, in others, and in their dreams. Camp Hope is a one-of-a-kind mentoring initiative. Research suggests that children affected by trauma are at risk for increased anxiety and depression, social isolation, increased physical and psychological aggression, and a propensity to perpetuate the cycle of domestic violence. One of the key goals of Camp Hope is to break the chain of violence and keep kids out of the justice system. The Camp Hope program is based on Hope Theory, which refers to the positive expectation children have toward the attainment of a future-oriented goal.

Camp Hope is free. The FJC provides camp fees, including lodging, meals, and activities, and transportation from FJC to the camp. There is also an Amazon wish list, which includes all the necessary camping equipment. Last year the entire wish list was donated! At camp, the kids engage in ziplining, ropes courses, horseback riding and all the usual camp activities. After the 6-day camp, they have a 30-day reunion and a variety of other activities throughout the year to help them stay engaged with the process of developing hope in their futures.

Many thanks to Stephanie for the great presentation. This is an amazing program and we hope that Sunrise can make a sizeable donation to the FJC through our fundraiser this year.

Click HERE to see a limited-time recording of Stephanie's engaging presentation.

On a regular basis, our resident photo pro Warren Smith, submits pictures of what is going on at the weekly meetings. You can always find the most recent pictures at the websites photo journal called "Meeting Sighting" Please note that all the meeting photos for the entire Rotary year are at this location with the most recent on the last page.

Thanks for all the great pictures Warren! Link to Meeting Sightings. The most recent are on the last page!