Changes, events coming to Women's Rural Advocacy Programs in October

Image courtesy W.R.A.P.

Several big changes and events are coming to the Women’s Rural Advocacy Program next month.
According to Becci tenBensel, executive director of W.R.A.P., will become the designated program to serve sexual assault victims in Yellow Medicine County, taking over from Safe Avenues of Willmar.
Generally, service providers for that county have been funded by the state. However, tenBensel said W.R.A.P.’s request to the state for additional funding didn’t go through, and the next application deadline is in two years.
Earlier this month, the Yellow Medicine County Board voted to fund $15,000 to W.R.A.P. for this year and again for next.
tenBensel said W.R.A.P.’s workload has been going up, and is expected to continue by another 15 to 20 percent in the next couple of years.
To raise awareness of October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month, W.R.A.P. is planning on setting up several displays throughout the area in the next month. The displays consist of photographs and memorials to Minnesota’s domestic homicide victims during the year of 2022.
The displays will be set up near Ramsey Falls in Redwood Falls from Oct. 1-9, near the Lyon County courthouse from Oct. 8-16, near the walking bridge in Granite Falls from Oct. 15-23, and near the Ivanhoe City Park from Oct. 22-30.
W.R.A.P. will also be hosting the fourth annual Bids Against Abuse fundraiser at The Rock in Granite Falls on Oct. 19, from 5 – 8 p.m.