New Women’s Place shelter celebrates opening

Officials with Violence Against Women Services Elgin County celebrated the grand opening of their new Women’s Place emergency shelter on Princess Avenue in St. Thomas on Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 7. After the speeches by dignitaries, the about 300 guests in attendance were invited to pick up boxes from a table in the parking lot and open them at the count of three. Inside the boxes were a total of 300 Monarch butterflies that were released as a symbol of the about 300 women and their children who will receive care and counselling at the new Women’s Place each year.