WVU Skating Club raises money for domestic violence awareness

The Morgantown Ice Arena will host West Virginia University students and alumni in a performance for "Skate Against Hate" Saturday to promote domestic violence awareness and prevention.

The show will begin at noon and will feature WVU senior nursing student Angela Kreger and College of Creative Arts alumna Alicia Marcucci.

"The goals of Skate Against Hate are to raise awareness of rape and domestic violence victims and to offer our support through performance on the ice and monetary donations," Kreger said.

The event will help raise money for the Rape and Domestic Violence Information Center of Monongalia, Taylor and Preston counties, which helps victims of abuse by providing a crisis hotline, group and individual counseling, advocacy, support services, community education and emergency shelter.

"I have decided to get involved, because this is an issue very close to my heart. I am only 24 years old and have been a survivor of domestic violence, having experienced two abusive relationships," Marcucci said. "Educating and spreading awareness is an even bigger goal than raising money."

Kreger said raising awareness of the issue is the most important part of the performance.

"It's an important issue that often goes unnoticed because many people do not know how to help victims," she said. "Having a show for them is one of the best ways that we can offer our support."

Mark Brazaitis, associate professor and the director of the creative writing program at WVU, will be the announcer during the show and said it is important to highlight the issue of domestic violence within the community.

"Morgantown is a great place to live, but this doesn't mean it doesn't have serious problems," he said. "It's important for members of the community to recognize problems such as rape and domestic violence and to do what we can to solve them or at least to lessen their impact."

Kreger, president of the WVU figure skating club, said she got involved with the event to encourage her students to perform for the cause.

"It is good practice for me, and I enjoy performing," she said. "I also coach at the rink, and I think by skating in this event it encourages my students to perform, too."

In addition to the skating performances, attendees will have the opportunity to meet Miss Pittsburgh 2011, Stephanie Scarci, purchase items at a bake sale and enter for a chance to win a Mary Kay cosmetics gift basket.

Tickets for the event can be purchased at the door. The cost is $5 for adults and $4 for children and all proceeds will go to RDVIC.

Brazaitis said the WVU figure skating club and the Morgantown Ice Arena are assets to the community and provide a great source of recreation for the local community.

"We're fortunate to have an ice arena in Morgantown. Many towns of comparable size do not," Brazaitis said. "Alicia (Marcucci), Angela (Kreger), and the others associated with ice skating here have truly made it a community. The skaters support each other, and their hard work shows in their excellence on the ice."