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support of our signature fundraisers, the Empty Bowl, Night of 1,000 Pies and our annual Golf Tournament - all of which were very successful. The funds from these wonderful events are vital to ensuring that we continue to provide urgent services to those who need them most and to furthering Empowerhouse's mission.

The Cambridge English Dictionary defines Gratitude as "a strong feeling of appreciation to someone or something for what the person has done to help you." As we head into spring, a time of rebirth and renewal, the Empowerhouse team would like to take a moment to celebrate the gratitude we feel for you, our caring community

We are grateful for the many accomplishments that you have made possible thanks to your support. During the past year, we have provided safety, shelter, and critical services to survivors of domestic violence, over 3,700 women, children, and men in Planning District (PD) 16. These are vulnerable community members who were able to heal and move forward with dignity, respect, and hope.

When our 24-hhour residential Shelter was struck by lightning this past summer, which caused a fire and considerable damage, individuals, businesses, foundations, churches, and community and governmental organizations rallied around us and those we serve. You not only donated funds to assist with much-needed repairs to our Shelter, you also generously donated

We are also grateful for the numerous community partners who work with us to share our mission and services, to advocate for healthy relationships and to comprehensively serve DV survivors and their children. These partners include, but are not limited to: area law enforcement, first responders, departments of social services, commonwealth attorneys, courts, Victim/Witness Program, Community Based Probation, Legal Aid Works, RCASA, Safe Harbor Child Advocacy Center, Healthy Families, LUCHA, SERVE, the Salvation Army, FAHASS, Moss Free Clinic, RACSB, forensic nurses and other Mary Washington Healthcare professionals, University of Mary Washington and Germanna Community College, the Virginia Action Alliance, the Continuum of Care organizations, Rappahannock Goodwill Industries, churches, local governments, The Community Foundation, Rappahannock United Way, and schools in Planning District 16 who partner with us to serve homeless children or who invite us to educate school children with our Healthy Relationships Classroom Presentations.

Throughout the year, we so appreciated the enthusiastic and generous

We are grateful for our amazing Board members and board boosters who advocate for us, share their expertise, and champion our life-changing and lifesaving work. We are inspired and motivated by the DV survivors who show incredible courage and resilience under heartbreaking and difficult circumstances as they navigate a more hopeful path forward. Many of our former clients also selflessly look for ways to give back to Empowerhouse and other survivors, which fills our hearts.

Finally, we are thankful for our dedicated, skilled, and hardworking Empowerhouse staff and volunteer colleagues who have been met with many challenges during COVID as the needs of those we serve increased and became more urgent. The team has met and surpassed these challenges again and again thanks to our community who continue to show up and step up to support us.

We are full of gratitude and celebrate everyone who made these achievements possible.

If you, or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call Empowerhouse's free, confidential 24hour Hotline at (540) 373-9373.

Nancy Kelly is the Development Director of Empowerhouse.

New owner of the Historic Mary Washington Monument and Lodge

The City of Fredericksburg donated the 1.36-acre property at 1500 Washington Avenue to Washington Heritage Museums which plans a small museum about the monument at the Lodge. The building will also serve as WHM's headquarters. The conveyance included the grave of Mary Washington, the Mary Washington Monument, Meditation Rock, the Gordon Family Cemetery, the Lodge, and the sloping land leading down to Memorial Park.