The 8th Judicial District Victims’ Rights Week Committee will host a free community event and candlelight vigil honoring crime victims, survivors, and their families on Wednesday, April 26 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Canyon West Ballroom at the Lincoln Center. The event, Survivor Voices, will feature keynote speaker Ann Marie Doolittle, founder and president of the Ashley Doolittle Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving Ashley’s legacy by raising awareness and prevention of teen dating violence. There will be additional speakers and a showcase of service providers and advocacy groups. 

Survivor Voices: Elevate. Engage. Effect Change. is the theme for National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, which will be held April 23-29, 2023. The annual observance, as well as the event, encourages community members to listen and amplify the voices of crime victims and survivors so they have the confidence to be heard, believed, and supported. 

“It is an honor to once again host an event for crime victims and their families, and to return to an in-person event for 2023,” says Kate Perrill, the Victim/Witness Division Manager for the District Attorney’s Office and a member of the Victims’ Rights Week Committee. “Raising awareness for victims’ rights, sharing the resources and services available to victims of crime, and elevating the voices of survivors are what this event is all about.”

Organizations that will be in attendance include the Ashley Doolittle Foundation, CASA Larimer, ChildSafe, Loveland Police Department Victim Services, Fort Collins Police Services Victim Assistance, Larimer Count Sheriff’s Office Victim Services, SAVA, and 3 Hopeful Hearts, among others. This event is made possible by support from the Ashley Doolittle Foundation.

Guests can enjoy light refreshments and participate in the candlelight vigil by sharing a name or word of affirmation. Guests can RSVP online.