News

Parents share story to prevent domestic violence

March 2019

The East Carolinan
By Caroline Korch
Contributed by Pat & Jim Carter
Updated 


eyes wide open
From left: Parents Jan and Ron Kimble pose in a photo with their daughter Jamie, a domestic abuse victim who was killed by her ex-boyfriend in 2012.

 
In the Taft Christian Life Center at the Jarvis Memorial United Methodist Church at 6 p.m., Ron and Jan Kimble will speak about their daughter, Jamie, being the victim of an abusive relationship. In 2012, Jamie was killed by her ex-boyfriend, and for this event Jan and Ron will travel to Greenville from their home in Charlotte, North Carolina in hopes to touch others and lend a helping hand.

Dr. Jim Carter, whose wife Pat Carter is chairwoman for this event and assisted her with planning it. Carter said his wife was interested in hosting the Kimbles back in Greenville after listening to them speak in October and wanted them to continue to be a resource for others who need help regarding this issue.
 
"This lecture has three purposes: one, is to let young people know how serious and how frequent relationship abuse is and can be. Two, to let them know of the early warning signs of relationship abuse. Three, to let them know of the resources available to them to get when they need it," Carter said.

Jamie was 31-years-old when the incident occurred while she was returning from Tampa, Florida, when her ex-boyfriend shot her at the airport before subsequently killing himself. The Kimbles were unaware of their daughter's fate until a police officer knocked on the door of their Charlotte home at midnight to break the news to them.

"Jamie spent much of her time in Greenville with her father being city manager here for more than 15 years" said Carter. "To Ron and Jan, Greenville will forever be a home and holds memories they had altogether."

Sherill Carrington, executive director for the Jamie Kimble Foundation for Courage said that the Kimbles' started a foundation in honor of their daughter and have devoted themselves to domestic violence prevention, education, awareness and research. The Foundation for Courage is a non-profit offering resources, grants and events that provide further assistance to this cause.

"We focus on stopping the violence before it starts and do so in those four areas," Carrington said.
 
Resources will be available such as the Center for Family Violence Prevention said Carter. Portia Willis, is the outreach educator and victim advocate at the center in Greenville who spoke on behalf of the center. The center provides counseling for both victims and abusers, a safehouse, and awareness programs.

"One in three females between the ages of 16 and 24 will experience some sort of dating violence situation or intimate-partner violence," Willis said. "An event like this is hitting that age group in hopes by telling their story, they would give the courage to someone to get help if they need it, someone they knew that needs it, or more tools in their tool belt for this cause."

Jamie was a graduate of J.H. Rose High School, top ten in her class, and went onto UNC-Chapel Hill and finished her degree in public health. J.H. Rose High School now has a unique domestic violence prevention club in honor of Jamie and is the first high school in North Carolina with one of its kind.

Dr. Carter said there will be another number of beneficiaries at tonight's event including Stop Human Trafficking Now and The Daughters of Worth. Carter anticipates there will also be several counselors there in case anyone present needs help and would like to speak with them.
There will be a discussion held after the Kimble's presentation, and meals will be provided for guests as well. The target age group for this event is high school and college-aged men and women, but all are welcome.

Read the original story here: http://www.theeastcarolinian.com/news/article_a23d1118-4f62-11e9-b8e8-673bb13625ba.html