THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 6, 1994 TAG: 9411040306
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Close Up
LENGTH: Long : 107 lines
With all the publicity surrounding the O.J. Simpson case, the HER Shelter, a haven for battered women and their children, has been running at full speed.
But with a mere 25 beds, the shelter can only service about 450 women and children annually. Another 500, unfortunately, are turned away each year.
Things might change, however, by this spring. Pending approval of a $200,000 grant from the Virginia Housing Development Authority, groundbreaking for a new shelter might be as early as March, said Sandra Becker, the shelter's executive director.
``It's going to be beautiful,'' Becker said. ``It will house 42 women and children, so it will increase our capacity by approximately 40 percent'' to about 650 women and children each year.
``It's in a residential area in Portsmouth, near the Chesapeake line. It will be a great improvement over what we have right now. I can't tell you the exact location, obviously, but we are hoping that when we get word from the state, we will be able to break ground,'' she said.
A fund-raising campaign, dubbed ``Raise The Roof,'' to raise the $450,000 needed to construct the new shelter began in April. The organization is about $50,000 shy of its goal. At the time the campaign started, it was hoped that construction would begin in July and be complete by December. But officials decided to hold off on the project until the state funding was in hand.
``We can't actually start the groundbreaking until such time that the application has been approved in writing,'' Becker said. ``It's close. Every verbal communication that we have had up to this point has said that it looks great, there shouldn't be a problem, it's just a matter of going through the right bureaucracy . . . but until we have something in writing that says, `Yes, you have this grant,' we're not going to take a chance and break ground.''
The new facility will be ``all-encompassing,'' Becker said, with the administrative offices, the shelter and the children's program all under one roof. Currently, the three are housed in separate buildings.
Becker moved to Portsmouth in May after her husband, Tom, became pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church on Airline Boulevard. She started with Help and Emergency Response (HER) on July 15.
``It's been a challenge, but it's been a wonderful challenge,'' said Becker, who previously headed an agency that provided residential services for adults with mental retardation in the Winston-Salem, N.C., area.
``Even though the administrative part has a lot of similarities,'' she said, comparing the two positions, ``the subject matter is quite different.''
The pervasiveness of domestic violence is a daily reminder for Becker, but she refuses to let it take its toll on her. How does she cope?
``I think first of all - No. 1 - having an incredibly wonderful relationship with my husband and using him to lean on is extremely helpful,'' she said.
``Second of all, the employees here are extremely supportive of one another as well as the women.
``And third of all, maybe even most importantly, when I do see the courage and the strength that some of these women have to be able to leave their battering situations and go out into a very scary world, I'm really impressed, and that helps me get over the hard parts.''
(Because of its limited budget, Help and Emergency Response is in constant need of volunteers to assist in daily operations. Volunteers will be required to participate in an orientation and training program. Call 393-7833 for information).
Name: Sandra C. Becker
Nickname: Sandi
Neighborhood: Point Elizabeth
Number of years in Portsmouth: Moved here from Kernersville, N.C., on May 1, 1994
Birthplace: Buffalo, N.Y.
Birthdate: Feb. 27, 1945
Occupation: Executive director of Help & Emergency Response Inc.
Marital status: Married
Children: Jeff, 25
Fondest childhood memory: Sitting in a huge rocker with my grandfather. The rocker was in my grandfather's kitchen, next to the stove.
First concert: Buffalo Philharmonic, Beethoven's 5th, 1973, Buffalo, N.Y.
What song or book title best describes your life? ``Here Comes That 19th Nervous Breakdown'' (Because I'm always under a deadline)
If you won the lottery, what's the very first thing you'd buy? A condo on the beach.
If you could trade places for just one day with anyone in the world, who would it be and why? Owner of Brutti's Cafe
Biggest accomplishment: Receiving the Joel Weston Memorial Award for excellence in non-profit management
Most embarrassing moment: On my first date with my husband-to-be, I slipped on the ice, resulting in a very unlady-like landing.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I would like to be more patient.
Perfect way to spend the day: Quiet drive to the mountains and dinner with my husband
I can't resist: Chocolate
Favorite Portsmouth restaurant: Amory's
Biggest problem facing Portsmouth: Increase affordable housing base
If you had three wishes for Portsmouth, what would they be?
More live theater
More affordable housing opportunities
More shops/stores downtown
Other than its small-town atmosphere, what do you like about living in Portsmouth? Friendly, warm, giving people ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MARK MITCHELL
Sandra Becker
by CNB