Crisis Line director to be honored

Janet Cahill will receive Kalispell Soroptimists’ 2010 Ruby Award: For Women Helping Women at a ceremony on Wednesday, April 28, at Jagz Restaurant, 3796 U.S. 2, in Kalispell.

Cahill is the executive director of the Violence Free Crisis Line.

A no-host bar social starts at 6 p.m., followed by a buffet dinner at 6:45 p.m.  

Tickets are $26 each and are available by calling Diane Yarus at 751-2175 or e-mail sikalispell@soroptimist.net. 

The reservation deadline is Friday, April 23, and seating is limited. Special guest will be Katalin Juhos, a visiting Soroptimist and international executive/life coach from Budapest, Hungary.

Cahill has dedicated the last 28 years to helping women fight back against domestic and sexual violence.

For the last 22 years she has served as the director of the Crisis Line, a 24-hour hotline for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, rape, child abuse, incest, assault, elder abuse and stalking. She also has served as an officer on the board of directors of the Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence and as a statewide trainer for dealing with domestic violence. 

Over the years Cahill has expanded the program to include the Abbie Shelter (a safe house for women and children who are victims of domestic violence), support groups and counseling, a court advocacy program to help women navigate the legal process, a children’s program, and community education on domestic violence.

Cahill also helped start a prevention program called PEACE for junior high and high school students that teaches them about healthy relationships and the dangers of dating violence and also provides peer-to-peer counseling.

“Janet’s vision and leadership has literally saved lives and restored dignity and control to hundreds of women and families in our community,” board co-chairwoman Amy Glimm said.

Cahill will be awarded $500 for her organization and is eligible for awards at other levels of Soroptimist International.

Soroptimist scholarship award winners also will be recognized:

Abigail Connolly — $1,500 Past Presidents Award

Tess Barker — $400 Violet Richardson Award

Becky Austin — $1,500 Women’s Opportunity Award