The featured speaker at the luncheon will be Sarah Buel, who is a law professor at the University of Texas Law School and a domestic violence survivor committed to improving the court and community response to abuse victims.  Buel is co-founder of the University of Texas Voices Against Violence program that has developed a system of comprehensive, coordinated services for victims of sexual assault, relationship violence and stalking. She also co-founded the interdisciplinary University of Texas Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault that focuses on research, pedagogy and direct services. At the Anita Gregg Memorial Luncheon, Buel will discuss the many of faces of domestic violence and discuss best practices for preventing domestic abuse.

There is a $35 suggested donation for lunch.  The proceeds from the luncheon go toward supporting local organizations, such as the Community Coalition on Family Violence, that provide community education and help in the prevention of domestic violence abuse.  Please call the Mercy Foundation office at 865-632-5678 for luncheon reservations or more information.

“Anita Gregg was a well-respected and highly valued St. Mary’s Medical Center associate.  Tragically, she and her son, Dwayne Kesterson, lost their lives as a result of domestic abuse in 1996,” said Jerry Askew, Mercy’s senior vice president for external relations. “This luncheon honors the memory of Anita and Dewayne and reminds us all of the need to remain vigilant in taking a stand against all forms of violence in our community.

“Supporting the annual Anita Gregg Memorial Luncheon is a way to take positive action toward helping create a violence-free community,” Askew added.

Preceding the luncheon is a conference on domestic violence prevention that is being sponsored by Mercy Health Partners, the Community Coalition on Family Violence, Citadel Broadcasting, City of Knoxville 311 Office, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, Knoxville News Sentinel and Legal Aid of East Tennessee.

The conference will also focus on the many faces of domestic violence with a panel of four local experts sharing information on the impact of domestic abuse in their area of specialization.  The topics and panelists include:
• Homelessness – Ginny Weatherstone, CEO of Volunteer Ministry Center
• Employment and the Workplace – Adrienne L. Anderson, an attorney with Anderson Busby, PLLC
• Substance Abuse – Rebecca Kelly, Director of Client Services, Child & Family Tennessee
• Mental Illness – Wendy Besmann, President of the Knoxville Chapter of the National Alliance of Mental Illness

Both the conference and the luncheon will be at The Foundry with the conference registration beginning at 8 AM and the first speaker at 8:30 AM.  The cost to register for both events is $50 per person.

 The Mercy Foundation is part of Mercy Health Partners.  Mercy was formed by the merger of St. Mary’s Health System and Baptist Health System of East Tennessee in 2008.  The new healthcare system operates seven acute-care hospitals and twenty other healthcare facilities across East Tennessee.  In 2008, the Mercy facilities in East Tennessee provided more than $46 million in charity care and community benefits including services for the poor, community health screenings and research.

More than 1,000 of the area’s leading physicians are on the active staff at Mercy facilities.  One of East Tennessee’s largest employers, Mercy has 5,700 associates dedicated to providing compassionate care using the latest medical technology.

For physician referral and service information, please call one of Mercy’s referral lines: Ask Mercy at 632-5200 (toll-free at 877-368-7362) or Mercy Wellnesse for Women at 877-599-WELL (9355).  A complete list of Mercy physicians, facilities, services and extensive health information is available online at www.mercy.com.  Learn about upcoming Mercy events and news on the Mercy Facebook page and on Twitter.

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