Area residents, advocates gather on behalf of domestic violence victims

More than 100 people gathered around the Centertown clock late Thursday afternoon to draw attention to domestic violence and its victims.

John Barnhart

Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court Judge Louis Harrison speaks to those who attended the event.

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john Barnhart

Four people, Jean Brobeck, Evelyn Johnson, Leighton Langford, far right, and Gail Hernandez, were honored for their work assisting Bedford Domestic Violence Services. Irv Brobeck, pictured at left, accepted the award for his late wife.

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    The group walked down Bridge Street to a granite bench, dedicated to the memory of Sherrie Conner, located across Bedford Avenue from the Bower Center. Conner, who had worked for Bedford County’s Department of Social Services for 20 years, was killed three years ago, the result of a domestic dispute that turned fatal.
    “Sherrie’s a martyr to that cause,” said Juvenile and Domestic Relations Judge Louis Harrison, who spoke to the gathering. “Let’s not forget Sherrie and the others.”
    Linda Williams, a Lynchburg resident who endured 20 years of domestic violence, also spoke. Williams read the definition of love mentioned in the Bible in I Corinthians chapter 13.

    Williams urged the community to teach children a high standard. She said that in Lynchburg, they are seeing teens involved in abusive boyfriend/girlfriend relationships. They see it often enough that they have support groups for them.
    Bedford Domestic Violence Services honored four people for their work in the local community. Two of them received the Yancy’s Spirit Award, named in memory of Yancy Patterson, a volunteer who put in 4,000 volunteer hours of work between 2001 and her death in 2004.  The award recognizes volunteer efforts. One was presented to the late Jean Brobeck and accepted by her husband, Irv. The other went to Evelyn Johnson.
    Leighton Langford, the county’s director of social services, was honored with the Purple Ribbon Award. Connie St. John, director of Bedford Domestic Violence Services, said that Langford has demonstrated a personal commitment to domestic violence over the past 30 years. She said that he has brought together a diverse group of community leaders together resulting in a large referral base of professionals and services for domestic violence victims. She credits the existence of Bedford Domestic Violence Services to Langford’s advocacy for such a program. The fact that the organization has a court advocate who helps victims get protective orders, and the organization’s shelter, are also due to Langford’s efforts.
    “It is my honor to present the third Purple Ribbon Award to Leighton Langford for a lifetime of advocacy dedicated to empowering victims of family violence,” St. John said.
    Langford will retire in January.
    Gail Hernandez was honored with the Ruby Award. St. John said that Hernandez has supported Bedford Domestic Violence Services since it began.