Ark Gala draws support for abused, neglected children

“I am not a woman.”
 
The declaration in and of itself is not likely to surprise anyone unless it comes from a 6-foot-3-inch individual who was on the Miami Dolphins practice squad for two seasons.  

If Victor Rivas Rivers said that to get the attention of more than 500 people attending The Ark Gala Thursday night at the Richard M. Borchard Regional Fairgrounds, he succeeded.

But the keynote speaker really said it to make a point: abuse is not just a women’s issue. “All forms of abuse should be everyone’s issue,” Rivers said.

Addressing the attendees, the domestic violence activist, veteran film/television actor and best-selling author—who had visited The Ark Assessment Center and Emergency Shelter for Youth earlier in the day, said, “You’re really doing God’s work here.” He said the agency is a “national model” for facilities caring for abused and neglected children.

The issue is important to Rivers because growing up he was beaten, burned and tied up by his father, who also smashed his trophies and with them his self-esteem. “The body can heal miraculously, but the psyche takes longer. All I ever wanted from my father was for him to love me.”

When he tried to report his father’s abuse to police at 12-years-old, he was told it was “a private family matter ,” a phrase that stuck with him and became the title of his memoir.

As he tells it, in a “desperate search for belonging” he joined a gang. The physical pain caused by the gang's initiation ritual paled in comparison to that inflicted by his father. By taking his father to court in 1971 and getting emotional support from foster families, Rivers went from being a gang member in the tenth grade to becoming senior class president. Through that support, he got the message that his life mattered.

“If we can save one person from abuse, it’s worth it. Abuse is the most prevalent but curable disease,” Rivers said, but it is something that requires individuals with compassion. “No longer is violence against women considered a private family matter.

"I am here to applaud the work of saving and transforming lives that I saw today at The Ark. Support for everything The Ark does is so vital," Rivers said. "Thanks to the heroes and angels in my life, I was able to break the cycle of violence [through increased] self-esteem, inner strength and a belief that God had a better plan.”

One’s ability to cry is also transformational, he said. Rivers said society could do a better job at educating individuals on how to ask for help.

In his invocation, Bishop Michael Mulvey said he was “grateful for the incredible work The Ark does in our community. It’s touched so many lives, healed so many wounds. It’s a true gift to our community.” Referring to the children residing there, the bishop said: “Keep them safe, and keep them close to your heart.”

KIII TV-3 news anchor Joe Gazin, the master of ceremonies, said The Ark’s “staff acts as parents providing them a home that they were deprived of through no fault of their own. They are the future of this area. Young people do grow up to be productive.”

Delma Trejo, the shelter’s executive director/administrator, said that most of the time the facility’s residents are infants or children who have “been beaten up.” Sometimes their siblings have already passed away.

When they are admitted to the shelter, one of the reasons they cry is because they are in a new environment. However, when it is time for them to be discharged, she said they often say, “We don’t want to leave. We want to stay here.”

Recently, The Ark has been receiving children from the entire state due to a shortage of shelters, Trejo said.

Sister Milagros Tormo, MJMJ, The Ark board president, said there is a need for continued financial support from the community. “No matter how much it is, if it’s coming from the heart, it’s going to make a difference in a child’s life. If everybody helps a little, it’s going to help the children tremendously.”

John Schultz, a consultant, volunteer and major financial supporter at The Ark who recently moved out of state, was recognized for his service to the agency for more than two decades.

Also included in the shelter’s 17th annual fundraiser and celebration were a silent auction, a live auction and a liquor basket raffle conducted by Marty Wind, background music by Manuela Shull’s piano students, remarks by board chairman Rene Esquivel and the JUSTICE Boot Camp Color Guard.

The gala's proceeds will help to pay for services provided to the children at The Ark, which is licensed by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to provide assessment services, emergency shelter and long-term care to 61 abused and neglected children and youth, from new born through 17-years-old.

 Photos by Ervey Martinez

Victor Rivas Rivers Keynote speaker	Delma Trejo Executive Director  of the Ark	Rene Esquivel Board Chairperson	Sister Milagros Tormo President

See more photos here.