On April 24, La Porte citizens braved the chilly weather to gather in front of the La Porte County Courthouse for Geminus’ annual Candlelight Vigil for Child Abuse. A second vigil was additionally held on April 25 at the Gary City Hall for Lake County residents. Geminus, an Indiana-based social service organization, has sponsored the candlelight vigil for several years. This was the third year that the vigil was held in La Porte. This year’s ceremony featured remarks on child abuse from Geminus executives as well as several community members. The event was followed by a reception inside City Hall where soda, meatballs, cupcakes, and other light refreshments were served.
Geminus Sponsors La Porte and Lake County Candlelight Vigils for Child Abuse Awareness 2024
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“We just want more people to attend this event each year,” said Nicholas Neal, Geminus Vice President of Community Services. “We’re here to remind the public that Geminus offers services for families that can help prevent certain issues from getting out of control before it’s too late. We want to show everyone that both Geminus and the Indiana Department of Child Services are all here for a good purpose as well. This event is also a great time to meet people and network. You never know who you're going to meet here and how those new relationships can benefit yourself and others in the long run.”
Vigil attendees gathered on the sidewalk in front of a podium that had been set up on the La Porte Town Hall steps. Neal opened the ceremony by thanking the attendees and explaining the purpose of the event. After Neal’s opening remarks, several other Geminus staff members shared their reflections on child abuse and neglect. La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody took the stand to profess his administration’s intention to work towards eliminating child abuse and neglect in all its forms. La Porte Chief of Police Dick Buell explained the role that the police department plays in the fight to secure the safety of children in the community. Kristin Smith, the Geminus Community Partners Program Manager and one of the speakers at the ceremony, explained why La Porte County is an ideal city to hold the candlelight vigil ceremony.
"It's just great to come here and do this in La Porte County because we have so many people here that utilize our services,” Smith said. “Geminus provides services to families in seven of the Region’s counties, including Porter County, Starke County, Jasper County, Benton, Newton, Pulaski and La Porte County, which is the largest county that we serve. The candlelight vigil gives all of us the chance to get together, share some food, and just be with each other during a sad time. Geminus is here to help kids and parents by helping families de-stress. That benefits everyone involved.”
Dierre Glenn, the senior pastor at Advancing Christ’s Kingdom Ministries in Michigan City, led the prayer portion of the vigil. He asked attendees to hold their electric flame candles high as they revered the memory of children who have experienced abuse and neglect.
“Since April is child abuse awareness month, we at Geminus want to bring the community together and remember those who have unfortunately lost their lives to child abuse or neglect,” Geminus Director of Family Services Kristin Chamberlain said. “I would like to encourage our attendees to say something if they see something. There have been too many instances in which concerning occurrences go unreported, making it possible for something unfortunate to occur. We want to advocate for children who are in harm's way and show that we're here to support and help however we can.”
Once the vigil came to an end, attendees and speakers alike filed into La Porte City Hall to warm up and enjoy the provided refreshments. The attendees chatted pleasantly among themselves as they savored their tasty snacks.
To learn more information about Geminus, please visit geminus.care
