Passport to Venice

The Fort Bend Chapter of Women’s Council of Realtors kicked off its PASSPORT TO VENICE! raffle ticket sales at the June 14^th meeting.  Passport is the annual fundraiser that serves WCR’s budget with the excess funds raised donated to a charity of our choice.  Four years ago, WCR selected The Fort Bend County Women’s Center and it has been a wonderful partnership ever since.

For 2008, WCR’s taking everyone to Venice, Italy through the PASSPORT TO VENICE!, luncheon and style show, Saturday, October 4, 11am – 2pm, at Safari Texas. Please consider purchasing and/or selling raffle tickets so the Fort Bend County Women’s Center can continue helping women and their children live independent, violence free lives. You can read the life story below of one of the many women Passport’s support has helped.

 Raffle tickets are $25 each or 5 for $100, with great prizes including a $3,000 travel voucher to Venice or the trip of your dreams.  

GRAND PRIZE

A partial list of other prizes include:

•  7 nights stay @ a Worldwide Time Share

•  $400 Nordstrom’s Shopping Spree

•  Golf packages to Sugar Creek, Sweetwater, The Houstonian, Redstone  and Sienna Plantation

•   Downtown Houston Loft, Wine Tasting Party for 6

•   Theater tickets

At the June 14 meeting, a survivor from the Women’s Center courageously told her story.  You can read Mary’s story below as told by our own Cathy Simeone to her colleagues after she heard her speak.

 “Today, we were privileged to have one of the Women’s Center’s survivors share her life story – which eventually led her through the doors of the shelter.  A horrific story, this 30 year old grew up in an affluent neighborhood right here in Fort Bend County.  She attended a private high school and on the outside, most would assume lived a privileged life.  That assumption is far from true and I can only say that her story made me squirm with anguish.  Hearing her share the details of the sexual abuse that her father tortured her with beginning Christmas Eve at the young age of 4, left no eyes in the room dry.  This brave young child endured his torture her entire childhood.   After her mother committed suicide, she and her sister were sexually abused almost daily.

 At 22, she met a man who said “I love you” – words she had longed to hear.  She married him thinking that life was going to be different.  Unfortunately, the cruel and vile acts she had inappropriately already come to know did not stop, for her new husband added a new twist - beatings.  He raped her with foreign objects and beat her repeatedly.  Too many broken bones to even count, he eventually beat her so severely killing their unborn child.  

She told us of the night she met Jesus, who after being beaten unconscious, held her gently and stroked her hair….telling her that she would survive and that he was always with her.

Today, she and her 6 year old son have a wonderful new future ahead.  She just graduated Cum Laude from the University of Houston with a degree in English and Psychology.  She has secured a teaching position starting in the fall.  She proudly thanked the Women’s Center for all that they have done for her and for her new lease on life.  She said that while she is still broken in many ways – The Fort Bend County Women’s Center and God have put her back together for a purpose and she is grateful.” 

This is why WCR chose the Fort Bend County Women’s Center to receive a portion of the proceeds from Passport, to enable them to continue to help women like Mary. But, we can’t do that without your help.  You can do your part by buying raffle tickets @ $25 each or 5 for $100 or selling packets of 10 to your friends and colleagues.  Just Email Mindy Gross @ Mindy@weprephousesestosell.com  or Christine Roberts @ ChristineRobertsOnline.com with your name, address, telephone number and how many tickets you would like to buy and/or sell. 

Tickets to the style show and luncheon are $60 each or get a group of 10 friends together and get a table for $600. Purchase your tickets by sending an email to Cynthia Bartholomew @ dogwood@flash.net  Tables are only sold in advance and we are nearing our capacity of 600 guests.

Thanks for reading this long but important message and please call or email with your request for tickets, attendance or to become a member of the sales team.

If you already have your tickets and your packet(s) of 10, we are most grateful for your time and support.  A heartfelt thank you in advance from the women and children of the Fort Bend County Women’s Center!