By By JOHN EBY / Niles Daily Star
CASSOPOLIS - To draw attention to the horrors of domestic violence, on Tuesday night about 40 people attended the first domestic violence vigil in the courtyard behind the Council on Aging.
Keynote speaker Melodye Surgeon Rider of Marcellus United Methodist Church gave a faith-based perspective.
Candles were lit to remember 55 people who died as a result of domestic violence. One name remembered on the 10th anniversary of the finding of her body was Rebecca Lynn Stowe of Niles, slain by her boyfriend when she was 15.
Her mother and older sister attended the vigil for the first time.
Becky's sister, Cindy Slates of Niles, said, &#8221He took her to his uncle's farm in Cass County, where he planned to kill her. That was July 13, 1993. Becky's body was not found until Oct. 4, 1995 - 10 years ago today.
Lloyd Hamilton, the new Human Services Coordinating Council chairman, &#8221welcome you with mixed feelings. On the one hand, far too many people have lost their lives to this deadly act. But on the other hand, it does my heart very well that we still come together whenever we can to remember the victims of domestic violence. Let us pledge in our hearts this evening that wherever we are, we're going to do what we can to eradicate domestic violence from our society.“;
Circuit Court Family Division Judge Susan Dobrich said, &#8221This is a very important topic to our community. In Family Court, so many of our cases result in violence. We have three recurring themes: domestic violence, substance abuse and mental health issues. Certainly, substance abuse does not cause domestic violence, but when they occur together they become more of a lethal weapon. It's very important that we continue to educate the public.“;
Rita Reed, DASC volunteer and emergency outreach coordinator, served as mistress of ceremonies.
Chaplain Carl Ross of the Forgotten Man Ministry at the Cass County Sheriff's Office wrote a prayer for the occasion.
Elender Sykes, DASC personal protection order advocate, recited a poem, &#8221Tending Your Garden,“; and sang &#8221Somebody Bigger Than You and I.“;
Rachel Sutton prefaced her vocal rendition of &#8221There's No Excuse for Abuse“; by commenting, &#8221In my own life, I had somebody next door who wanted to kill his wife and ended up killing himself. Somebody I work with was killed. I went to church with somebody whose son was killed in domestic violence. It just touches us all over the place.“;