That’s the sentiment Leah Bair, the program development director of the Domestic Sexual Assault Outreach Center, wanted to express as this year’s Candlelight Vigil is set for this Thursday.

“That’s the first big step in Domestic Violence Awareness Month — just knowing that there’s people out there that will help,” she said. “The second is to just know that you can talk about it. Know that there are people that will say ‘I get it. I’ll listen and then be there.”’

The annual vigil will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Fort Dodge.

The vigil is free and open to the public.

“If you can, come to this vigil, just so you can see that there is help out there and that people have made it and survived and they will tell you that reaching out is the first step that you can do to be back on the road to safety,” added Bair. “And know there are people that will help you get there. You don’t have to do it alone.”

Again this year, the vigil will feature a guest speaker and soloist along with a memorial reading of the names of those who have lost their lives to domestic violence. Refreshments will be available along with time for fellowship.

This year’s speaker, as in several past years, is a survivor of domestic violence who will tell her story and talk about her experiences as a survivor. Red silhouettes will be on display, each with a shield that tells the story of a victim of domestic violence who lost their life.

Jennifer Brown will be the featured musical soloist.

“October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. And this always just brings a lot of awareness to what we do every day and every year as advocates” said Bair. “This is an event where we can speak out about it.

“Every day in October, we just like to spread awareness,” she added. “A lot of people know what we do, but they don’t know the capacity to which we do it and this just brings light to everything that we do to help victims in our area.”

From Jan. 1 to October of this year, DSAOC served 600 clients and provided more than 3,000 bed nights where someone stayed at the shelter.

On Friday, several businesses in town will participate in jeans day. For $5, people can wear jeans to work to support DSAOC. Bair said they’ve raised as much as $2,500 in the past.

For any questions about the vigil or to participate in a jeans day, contact Bair at DSAOC. Her email is leahg@dsaoc.com.