THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 11, 1996 TAG: 9610090145
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY AMY WU, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 61 lines
Stephanie Mills spent one afternoon walking from door to door in Broadlawn Housing Project inviting people to ``Welcome to Our House,'' a new support group for women in Chesapeake.
She handed out fliers with promises of refreshments and door prizes. She repeated the invitation again and again.
``Some guys answered the door, and I said, `If you know some ladies, tell them to come. We'll have fun,' '' said Mills.
On Sept. 20 when the first meeting was held, no one came.
Another attempt was made on Oct. 4. Mills and Kathy White, a prevention specialist, sat patiently at 9:50 a.m. waiting to see who would show up.
At 10 a.m., there was no one there. At 10:10 a.m., there was still no one. But at 10:15 two young women and a baby came in. ``Sit down, make yourself at home,'' Mills said. ``There are doughnuts there,'' White said.
It was a slow start, but it was a start.
``Welcome to Our House'' is a bimonthly support group open to women in Chesapeake. It's a joint effort of the Chesapeake Community Services Board and the Chesapeake Redevelopment and Housing Authority. The focus is on empowering, informing and building confidence in underprivileged women.
Topics for the meetings include, ``Why I Can Fall in Love With a Jerk,'' ``I am a Resourceful, Smart Lady!'' ``Let's Talk About Sex'' and ``Who Else Can Tell Me I'm Great?''
The topic of the first meeting was, ``Look Better, Feel Better,'' but the planned program gave way to an informal get-acquainted session.
One of the women who attended is Stephanie Scott, 20, who takes nursing class three times a week at Tidewater Community College. The other is Dahlen Bradley, 19, a student in a certified nursing program who hopes to take nursing classes at Norfolk State University. Bradley works two jobs, takes care of her 5-month-old baby and attends classes.
``I think it's very necessary to have something like this especially in terms of empowering the women to kind of get out, to see what the academic world is,'' White said.
Mills didn't expect a large participation at the beginning. ``If I get one person to show up and they can carry something with them then I'll feel good,'' she said. ``Starting up something is real difficult, and we need to gain trust.
``The best thing you can give someone is TLC, tender loving care,'' she said.
Mills and White have high hopes for the group. They envision child care, transportation and field trips to Norfolk State University so the women can be exposed to higher education.
Scott and Bradley plan to come back, and have been appointed unofficial recruiters for the group.
``I could bring my sister,'' said Bradley. ``She's 14. She has lots of friends, and I know that they love to talk and they'd bring people.'' MEMO: The next ``Welcome to Our House'' meeting is Oct. 18. Meetings are
held the first and third Fridays of each month at 2550 Stowe St., from
10 to 11:30 a.m. More information is available by calling 547-3336. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MORT FRYMAN
Kathy White, left, and Stephanie Mills, right, welcome Dahlen
Bradley to a newly formed support group for women. by CNB