This year despite the continuing circumstances created by Covid, the Sudbury- Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable held its annual Valentine Collection at Sudbury Wine and Spirits in Sudbury. Although community members could not be invited to help fill the Valentine bags for families affected by abuse, members of the Roundtable gathered to fill the bags and delivered them toclients of REACH Beyond Domestic Violence, The Second Step, and Voices Against Violence. Due to the generosity of our local communities, the Roundtable was able to provide 50 gift bags to all the residents who ranged in age from 5 months to 71 years old.

The Roundtable would like to thank everyone who generously donated Valentine gifts and made this year’s collection a great success.

The Roundtable would like to offer special thanks to Joseph Saia of Sudbury Wine and Spirits for again hosting the collection basket, to the students at Sudbury Extended Day for decorating the gift bags, and to the staff and the families of Sudbury Extended Day for their wonderful donations. Thank you also to Kate Ryan for using her birthday celebration to collect donations in lieu of personal gifts. The Roundtable also appreciates the ongoing support of members of the League of Women Voters of Sudbury.

The pandemic has been especially difficult for families in abusive situations, and these Valentine’s Day bags brighten the lives of families living in domestic violence shelters and transitional housing and let them know that they are supported in their efforts to rebuild their lives free from abuse.