SPECIAL TO THE REPORTER

SafeHouse of Shelby County, Inc. recently announced that construction of the Caroline E. Jackson Center for Women and Children is scheduled to finish by the end of December 2006. These facilities will provide expanded services to victims of domestic violence and/or sexual assault and their children.

The new facility will double the capacity of the agency and allow clients to stay for longer periods of time.

It will also allow women to gain job skills and seek permanent housing that will allow them a lifetime of self-sufficiency, free of violence.

SafeHouse is planning a &8220;Visionary Celebration&8221; to celebrate their milestone with those who share the vision of SafeHouse. Many people in the community share the vision of the SafeHouse Board of Directors and staff.

In their honor, they will host a &8220;Visionary Celebration&8221; on Friday night, Nov. 3 to celebrate their new partnership.

It is the goal of Safehouse to raise the additional $400,000 needed to fund the Caroline E. Jackson Center for Women and Children and allow them to begin construction on the community services building. The special guest at the Visionary Celebration will be former University of Montevallo Professor Cassandra King Conroy.

She is the author of &8220;The Same Sweet Girls,&8221; &8220;Making Waves&8221; and &8220;The Sunday Wife.&8221;

Her new book, &8220;Queen of Broken Hearts,&8221; is to be released in February 2007.

There will also be a live auction, by Ken Jackson. Items on auction include vacations, jewelry, NASCAR pit, VIP pit and garage passes, sheet metal from Greg Biffle&8217;s Car and other items.