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Community Corner

Art Festival to Benefit Domestic Violence Survivor

Atlanta, Ga  – April 22, 2014

Domestic violence is a real problem, one that does not discriminate and which leaves a tremendous path of destruction in its wake. It is too often hidden from the light, its victims kept in the dark and left without a voice. 

Sandra Rivera Ruiz is a domestic abuse victim who survived a brutal attack that left her with a severe brain injury. Her estranged husband, Carlos Dominguez, beat her and left her for dead – then took their 4 year old son Jesus into the woods where he killed the boy and then himself. Her story shocked many. It has also inspired some to help.

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Out of the Dark is an Art Festival event to benefit Sandra's Angels, which will feature local artists showcasing artwork on the theme of domestic violence. Sandra’s Angels was formed to raise funds to help the family care for Sandra and her two surviving children: Alex, ten years and Yudaniz, five years old.  

HealiUm Center, a major sponsor of this event is a community art center that recently opened in Candler Park. Healium provides an exciting interactive forum where people can unleash their creativity as a powerful healing force. The center is operated by Jim & Donna Peera who offered to help Sandra as soon as they heard of her story on WSB-TV. “This is what HealiUm is all about, to bring awareness of dark issues such as domestic violence to the platform and empower its victims using creative self-expression as a transformational & medicinal tool “ says Jim Peera.

“We need to bring this problem out of the darkness into the light” says Daphne M. Walker, President and CEO of Partnership Against Domestic Violence (PADV), the largest non-profit organization of domestic violence in Georgia. According to PADV, more than three women a day are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends in the United States. PADV is proud to be participating in “Out of the Dark” benefit and will be on site to educate and offer its various outreach support services to victims of domestic violence. 

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“Out of the Dark” will be the first of many fundraising/awareness events to be held at HealiUm

Date: Saturday June 21st 2014 Time: 5:30pm – 10:30pm

HealiUm Center 344 Candler Park Drive, Atlanta GA (corner of Iverson and Candler Park Dr,)

$15 Advance Ticket, $20 at the Door Advance tickets: www.magnoliamiracle.com

Live Music by local bands, Live Art and Art Show with several local artists

Additionally, people can donate to Sandra's Angels online.

https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/5v94/sandra-s-angels

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Contact

Jim Peera 404-216-8877 or Tia Severino 678-906-9787

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