Training program attracts overflow crowd.
The Sheila Wellstone Institute held its first Camp Sheila Wellstone on the weekend of May 21, 2004. The training program brought together domestic violence and sexual assault advocates and their supporters from around Minnesota to renew our commitment to ending violence against women and children. Applying the principles of Camp Wellstone, Camp Sheila Wellstone provided participants with invaluable knowledge about engaging more citizens in the work to end violence against women and children. Participants learned about building coalitions with other organizations, mobilizing community members, action planning, bringing the issue to law-makers and voter mobilization and voter education.
Camp Sheila Wellstone is about making the movement to end violence against women and children stronger and more powerful. The first Camp Sheila Wellstone proved to be a tremendous success, re-energizing and renewing the spirits of all those who participated.
Here is what a few participants had to say about the event:
"Thank you so much for letting me feel the power that is within me. Not just in the organization that I work in, but my community. Let's get going!! Organize."
"It made me think about what our base is and how to use communities to both keep us grounded in service to women and engage those women to participate in the electoral process and hold politicians accountable to women's well-being."
"This was a powerful conference filled with great information that is practical, easy to understand and organized in a way that I can bring this message to others."
"I am re-energized, more hopeful, proud and more ready to do the work."