V is for V-day

By Brandi Furman/”The Voice” Asst. News Editor

This month is commonly defined by Valentine’s Day, the month of love. It is also a time to recognize another special time, V-Day. This global movement, so named V-day is symbolic of victory, valentine and vagina. V-day was created to spread awareness to stop violence against women and girls and to promote awareness and raise money.

According to the official V-day website, http://newsite.vday.org/, the worldwide movement to end violence against women in 2008 included over 4,000 benefit events, such as performances of the “Vagina Monologues” and showings of a documentary called “Until The Violence Stops.”

The program has spread throughout the world into 120 countries, jumping from continent to continent. The V-day corporation helps to start other organizations with their programs to stop violence, and was named in the top 10 charities by Marie Claire Magazine in 2006. In the past 10 years, V-day has raised over 60 million dollars for women around the world.

V-day found its start with a sold-out performance of the “Vagina Monologues” in 1998 in New York City, with performers Glenn Close, Winona Ryder, Calista Flockhart, and Whoopi Goldberg. In following years performances grew and sold out each time. The influence of the corporation continued to spread like wildfire, raising money for local groups against violence in every city they visited.

This year, the Bloomsburg University Players will present the V-day events on Tuesday, Feb. 3 through Saturday, Feb. 7. Performances will include “A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer” on Feb. 3 and 4, and “Vagina Monologues” on Feb. 5, 6, and 7 in the Kenneth S. Gross Auditorium in Carver Hall at 8 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the door, or $8 to view both productions.

All proceeds benefit V-Day, Columbia-Montour and Beyond Violence Women’s Centers and Columbia-Montour Family Health.