Blog

It’s been a busy summer for our team. Keep reading to see what we’ve been up to.   

We interviewed Chef Bill Bird to learn why he decided to make Heroes Landing his charity of choice in July’s Dancing Divas competition. Dancing Divas pairs local celebrities with dance instructors to compete on behalf of, and raise awareness for, local charities!  

May 31, 2023 marks one year since Heroes Landing^TM started offering services in Muskingum County. When we look back at where we started, and how far we’ve come, we’re filled with gratitude. We’ve accomplished so much as a community, multi-disciplinary team, and advisory board—and we know that impact will only grow. Our executive director, Evonne Saunders, shared, “Through our approach of advocacy, care, and justice, we continue to support survivors, strengthen families, and create more awareness in our community.”

We recently achieved Partner in Prevention status from Darkness to Light. Partner in Prevention was created as a national standard to help parents and caregivers recognize organizations that take child protection seriously by implementing policy and training staff to prevent child sexual abuse.

As our CPS assessment supervisor, Sara is a Muskingum County local with a passion for keeping children safe and supporting family systems. She has her social work degree from Mount Vernon Nazarene University and has been with Muskingum County Adult and Child Protective Services since 2010.

Q&A

Meet Our Advocates, Robin Butler and Lisa Holcombe

Having worked as a Registered Nurse (RN) for twenty-five years, Amanda comes to us with decades of experience in public and women’s health. Her passion for treating and educating women of all ages led to her desire to become a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), which she has been trained in since 2020. We are incredibly lucky to have Amanda as a member of our multidisciplinary team at Heroes Landing. 

A returning board member, Ashton Sidwell has been fundamental in establishing the groundwork for Heroes Landing as well as its advisory board. Her work gathering community support for the 2021 Heroes Landing Golf Classic was pivotal to its success, and we look forward to seeing what more she’ll be able to do for our community in her second year.

Ron Welch was sworn in as Muskingum County Prosecutor on January 4, 2021, after serving 15 years as an assistant prosecutor and 22 years as a prosecutor overall. Ron’s entire legal career has been dedicated to serving the citizens of Ohio as a prosecuting attorney, and his goal is to continue doing so until the end of his career.

Kacie Malouf is the co-founder of Malouf Companies and board chair of the Malouf Foundation. In 2003, Kacie and her husband Sam started a small bedding company that would one day grow into Malouf Companies™—a Certified B Corporation® comprised of more than 55 brands and companies that employs over 1,600 people, operates with 16,000 retail partners in 56 countries, and is consistently ranked among the best places to work in the United States. In 2016, to formalize the company’s charitable efforts, Kacie and Sam founded the Malouf Foundation™ to confront child sexual exploitation, specifically sex trafficking and online abuse. Kacie works with the Foundation board to find creative ways to educate the public, bring awareness to the cause, and create long-term shifts in perception and action. 

After a 15-year career in retail, Evonne Saunders joined Heroes Landing as Executive Director. Her expertise in operational management has proven essential in building initiatives and developing solid partnerships for the center. We’re incredibly lucky to have Evonne at our helm, and we’re excited for you to get to learn more about the impact she’s making in our community.