On Saturday night, Douglas County was invited by Peace at Home Advocacy Center to a night of music, dance and community appreciation with the 2025 Empower Dance and Vocals fundraising gala. The formal gathering brought several local performers together to recognize impactful community members and raise funding for the work Peace at Home provides for the county.
Peace at Home Advocacy Center is a Douglas County-based nonprofit that helps victims of family violence, sexual assault, human trafficking and stalking, among other issues. For the organization, the gala serves as a critical fundraising opportunity, bringing the community together to celebrate and recognize the achievements it has made through its work.
“This event is about celebrating the work of advocates, and that includes our team of domestic violence advocates on staff. It’s about recognizing all of the volunteers that come together to perform,” Peace at Home board chair Jordan Jungwirth said. “We use this as a night to shed light on the work and give a call to action for us to raise additional funds.”
In total, 37 performers sang, danced and played their instruments for the gala attendees. Styles demonstrated in the show varied from folk guitar and ballet to tap dance and jazz, with some of the performers also being nonprofit members themselves.
“I spent a lot of my life believing that you are your only real advocate, and in the last five or six years I’ve come to believe there’s really nothing more noble than being a voice for people who don’t have their own voice,” FARA grant writer, guitarist and event performer Sam Temple said. “That’s why I’m here, and it’s a wonderful thing to be a part of.”
Similarly, singer Sarah McGregor said she was delighted to perform for the event and help support Peace at Home.
“I’m just excited to be able to support this event,” McGregor said. “Their work is so important in our community, and I love being able to share my gifts to raise money for their cause.”
There was also a live auction held at the event to raise funding for Peace at Home’s sexual assault services response team, specifically for hiring and training new advocates. According to Peace at Home Executive Director Melanie Prummer, recent shifts in sexual violence trends within Douglas County are an important motive for raising the funds.
“(We’re raising funds) so that we can hire additional advocates and train paid advocates and volunteers to be able to respond to the increasing number of rapes that are happening in Douglas County,” Prummer said. “In the last four months, we’ve seen a significant increase—over 64%.”
Along with the performances, the event recognized and awarded three community members as “honorary advocates” for services they have provided to the community that have benefited Peace at Home: Roseburg City Manager Nikki Messenger, Oregon Department of Human Services engagement specialist coordinator Ivy Hunter, and Officer Kyle Nelson with the Sutherlin Police Department.
“I was surprised by the phone call,” Hunter said. “I love my job, and I feel like it shows—me receiving this award tonight.”
Likewise, Messenger said she was taken aback by the appreciation shown by Peace at Home.
“I’m a little overwhelmed,” Messenger said. “There are so many great people here that are doing great things. It’s just really meaningful.”
Andrew Griffin is a reporter for The News-Review.
He can be reached at agriffin@nrtoday.com.
