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80 attend Dial Help Gala fundraiser

HOUGHTON – Dial Help held its annual Gala fundraising dinner from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Shelden Grill in the Magnuson Hotel in Houghton Thursday night, where approximately 80 attendees enjoyed fine food, socializing, and listened to two speakers. There was also an auction and a silent auction.

Dial Help Executive Director, Rebecca Crane, spoke, offering a brief overview of the history of Dial Help and how the organization has grown since its inception. Since 1971, when it began as a crisis line called Dial Drug, Dial Help has expanded to include a myriad of services in areas such as sexual assault and sexual abuse prevention, intervention, and counseling; child abuse and domestic violence intervention and prevention services for rape and sexual abuse; child abuse and domestic violence; and suicide. Dial Help also offers victim advocacy in court, and offers drug and substance abuse counseling.

An-gel Kennealy was given recognition for her work with Dial Help as Sexual Assault director and Volunteer Coordinator. It was also with regret that Crane announced Kennealy’s leaving Dial Help as she will be moving out of the area at the end of May.

Crane then expressed appreciation for partnering organizations Portage Health Foundation, Superior Health Foundation, and the Marquette Health Department.

The guest speaker at the event was Kevin Store, director of the Portage Health Foundation, who spoke on the hope that the community would recognize the need for organizations such as Dial Help.

“What you have to recognize is that the significance of an organization like Dial Help is not felt until that point that you need them,” Store said. “It’s not felt until that point that your loved one is the one on the other end of the line, making that text. And that’s one of the things that we, as a community, have an obligation to do is pull that carpet back, and create that awareness to these safety net organizations that are providing such a lifeline for our community, so most of us don’t have to deal with it.”

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