Butterflies to mark ‘release’ of past

• Liberty House of Albany will host several events in Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Cathy Higgins

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Domestic violence forum, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Oct. 2 at Albany State University auditorium Butterfly Release, 10 a.m.-11 a.m. Oct. 3 at Veterans Park band shell Domestic violence forum for Albany State University sororities, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Oct. 4 at ASU auditorium Empty Seat at the Table display, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 13 at Albany Mall Teen Dating Violence Education presentation for ninth graders, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 15 at Miller County High School Teen Dating Violence Education presentation for 10th graders, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 16 at Miller County High School Lunch and Learn Domestic Violence Forum, 1 p.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 17 at Darton College Teen Dating Violence Education presentation for 12th graders, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 23 at Miller County High School Domestic Violence Vigil, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Oct. 25 at grassy area behind museum on Darton College campus

ALBANY — Next week, Liberty House of Albany Inc., will kick off Domestic Awareness Month with a live Butterfly Release.

The event is set for 10 a.m.-11 a.m. Wednesday at Veterans Park Amphitheater in downtown Albany.

More than 50 participants will release the butterflies, which were ordered in August, to symbolize loved ones lost to violence, to honor survivors of violence or to honor a positive influence in their lives.

Liberty House Executive Director Silke Deeley explained that Wednesday’s event at Veterans Park will be the first time Liberty House has hosted an event like the butterfly release.

“We wanted to do something different with kind of an optimistic and positive note,” she said in a recent telephone interview. “Domestic violence is not positive, but the butterfly is a symbol of transformation and a change to something better.”

Wednesday’s symbolic event will also set the tone for this year’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

“The theme this year is ‘If nothing in the world never changed, there wouldn’t be butterflies,’ ” Deeley said.

Additional activities celebrating the month include domestic violence forums at Albany State University and Darton College, vigils in Miller County and Albany, a display at Albany Mall and teen dating violence education presentations at Miller County High School.

For more information, call (229) 439-7094.