Farah & Farah was present at the 17th Annual Barbara Ann Campbell Memorial Breakfast held in Jacksonville on Wednesday, October 5. The event is put on by Hubbard House as an annual fundraiser to raise awareness about domestic violence. Hundreds turned out at the Hyatt Regency downtown. Featured speaker, Vena Patton, told about the years of violence she endured at the hands of her ex-husband. Her speech brought everyone to their feet in a standing ovation.
Patton was also a client of Farah & Farah after she was involved in an auto accident in October 2010. She talked about lying on the ground after the car crash and having a flashback to the times her ex-husband used to severely beat her. She expected that he would come around the corner and do it again.
Her ex would padlock her in a room when he left and beat her when he returned. Often, her daughter watched. Neighbors were told Vena was crazy so they didn’t come to her aid. She was shot, cut, beaten when she was pregnant and lost the baby. He would bring her flowers and apologize.
Vena said she did not come from a family of abuse; in fact, her parents are still married after 59 years. Hubbard House helped get her out of the eight-year abusive marriage, clothed her and her children, and gave her a place to live. They taught her self-esteem and how to set healthy boundaries. She returned to college and has been with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida for more than 13 years. Vena is engaged and now teaches others what domestic violence is and how to never be abusive or become abused.
Farah & Farah attorney Corri Hunt, who attended the Hubbard House gathering, is honored to represent Vena in her Florida personal injury lawsuit.
The event is named after Barbara Ann Campbell, who was the sister-in-law of former Jacksonville Mayor Jay Godbold, also in attendance. Campbell was shot and killed by her husband of more than three decades.
Hubbard House helps about 6,000 men and women every year and has been in the community providing services for 35 years. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Hubbard House has activities planned around Florida to promote understanding about domestic violence.
Source: http://hubbardhouse.org/
