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Tuesday, 17 February 2026
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Written by Amanda Ransom
Each February, through its Victim Advocacy Volunteer Training, The Phoenix Center gives community members a meaningful way to be part of its mission. This program is designed to prepare everyday people to stand beside survivors of sexual violence. While the training provides practical skills, it also helps to bring clarity to the deeper mission of an organization that has stood beside survivors in Cumberland County for nearly five decades.
The organization was founded in 1976 and operated by Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County. The Phoenix Center, located at 519 Ramsey St., was developed from a shared realization among local healthcare providers, law enforcement, and mental health professionals that survivors needed stronger, more compassionate support.
“There has been a gap in services between initial services by law enforcement and medical professionals and available services in the community,” said Deanne Gerdes, executive director of the Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County.
From the beginning, this organization was built to fill the gaps, not just in crisis moments, but throughout the long process of healing. Today, the Phoenix Center serves a broad and often vulnerable population.
“The Phoenix Center primarily serves all victims of sexual assault, which includes victims of domestic violence, human trafficking, stalking, computer crimes, and any other sex-related crime,” Gerdes said.
“The mission of RCVCC is to achieve zero tolerance for the crime of sexual violence and to reduce its trauma,” Gerdes explained. “We strive to reach this goal through community-wide education programs to promote awareness about sexual assault and the issues related to the crime, and by providing compassionate, professional services to the victims and survivors of sexual assault.”
Together, these services create a compassionate network of care that meets survivors where they are. The Phoenix Center offers both men and women 24/7 crisis line support and hospital advocacy to counseling, support groups, and courtroom support. Survivors are never left to navigate trauma alone. The February Victim Advocacy Volunteer Training plays a critical role in sustaining that support system.
“The goal of all our training is to give volunteers the knowledge and skills to work with victims,” Gerdes said.
The training is open to anyone in the community who wants to help.
“Anyone who is interested in working with and helping victims through the process of surviving a sexual assault should consider attending,” she said.
Participants learn foundational advocacy skills, crisis response strategies, and trauma-informed care principles that prepare them for real-world situations. The curriculum follows a structured agenda; the heart of the training lies in preparing volunteers to show up with empathy, professionalism and emotional intelligence.
Volunteer advocates are a vital extension of The Phoenix Center’s mission, showing up when survivors are often at their most vulnerable and in need of steady, compassionate support. Whether sitting beside someone in a hospital room or answering a call in the middle of the night, these advocates help ensure no survivor has to navigate the aftermath of trauma alone.
“Volunteer advocates support victims by going to the hospital to ensure victims’ rights are acknowledged, answer any questions, provide resources and explain all procedures,” Gerdes explained. “Our volunteer advocates also answer crisis calls 24/7 in order to give staff some time off.”
That presence creates both immediate and lasting impact, bringing comfort to survivors in moments of fear and uncertainty. Trauma-informed advocacy remains central to the organization’s philosophy.
“In order for a victim to start a process of healing, it is important that we all recognize the trauma at the beginning so that the person has a chance to become a survivor,” Gerdes said.
This approach changes care from simply responding to a crisis to restoring dignity and hope. The goal is to help individuals move forward not only as those who have experienced harm, but as survivors supported in reclaiming their strength, voice, and identity.
Volunteers play a meaningful role in that transformation.
“Most importantly, volunteers are there for the victims,” Gerdes said. “Secondly, volunteer advocates give staff the ability to walk away and take a breath.”
The work is not easy, and the organization does not shy away from that truth.
“It can be hard work,” Gerdes said, “but it can also bring in the most rewarding thing people ever do.”
For those interested in becoming part of the mission, The Phoenix Center offers multiple ways to get involved. If interested in volunteering or just learning about the agency and how each of us can support victims, you can call The Phoenix Center at 910-485-7273 or email kberg@rapecrisisonline.org.
“In 2026, we proudly recognize a remarkable milestone: 50 years of dedicated service by Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County, a cornerstone of support, healing, and empowerment for survivors of sexual violence in our community,” Gerdes said. “Since its beginnings in the mid-1970s, this nonprofit has stood unwaveringly beside individuals affected by sexual assault, offering compassionate assistance and a powerful voice for change”.
What began as a volunteer-driven effort to address gaps in crisis care, the organization has become a trusted provider of free, confidential services, including a 24-hour hotline, hospital advocacy, counseling, support groups, court accompaniment, community education, and survivor-centered support.
“Over five decades, Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County has been more than a service provider; it has been a lifeline,” Gerdes said. “Through countless phone calls answered, hospital rooms, court appearances supported, and educational programs delivered, the organization has helped transform trauma into empowerment for thousands of individuals and families.”
As the organization honors its 50th anniversary, it also honors the people behind the mission. “We celebrate the volunteers, staff, board members, and community members who have worked tirelessly to advance safety, dignity, and justice for survivors,” Gerdes said.
Through its February training and year-round services, The Phoenix Center reminds the community that healing doesn’t happen alone. It happens through people, volunteers who show up, listen without judgment, and stand beside survivors when it matters most. Fort those interested in becoming a volunteer, the February training sessions will be held Feb. 24 and 25 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sign-ups are encouraged at https://bit.ly/4qz50uK
For more information, email admin@rapecrisisonline.org or call 910-485-7273.
(Photo: The Phoenix Center celebrates a group of advocates who graduated from the advocacy victim training course in 2024. Photo courtesy of the Phoenix Center's Facebook page)
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Tuesday, 17 February 2026
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Written by Staff Report
The Methodist University Board of Trustees announced today that Methodist University President Stanley T. Wearden, Ph.D., will retire effective June 30, 2027. Wearden, 72, will have served 8.5 years as president at MU and is announcing his retirement more than a year in advance to allow the Board ample time to actively plan for a transparent and stable succession.
“I am still enjoying the challenges and rewards of this work,” Wearden said in a statement to the MU community. “While I am still healthy and deeply committed to MU, it is nonetheless time for me to transition to a productive but less stressful retirement, with time for family, travel, adventure, and hobbies, while continuing to seek ways to make a meaningful contribution to the world.”
In his time at MU, Wearden has put together a strong leadership team that, along with talented students, faculty, staff, alumni, and a host of friends and partners of the University, has accomplished much in the past eight years.
Just a few of the many accomplishments include:
• Improved student success, as measured by retention rate, persistence rate, and graduation rate.
• Building MU Online, with nearly 300 students in 30 programs that are perfect for working adults, active-duty soldiers, veterans, and their families.
• Partnerships with six community colleges and creating/funding the A-to-B Scholarships for their graduates to attend MU, increasing our number of transfer students and improving affordability.
• Years of effort, now coming to fruition, with the opening of the new Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine. The agreement between MU and CFVH is structured to last and will continue to be binding for any future leaders of the two organizations. The school’s first class is scheduled to begin this summer (July) and is already elevating MU’s reputation both regionally and nationally.
“Dr. Wearden has certainly laid a strong foundation for Methodist University – and the community it serves – to flourish in the future,” said MU Board of Trustees Chair Tim Richardson. “He has been a consistent example of professionalism, wisdom, sound strategic planning, execution, and strength. Our University and community owe him an abundance of gratitude.”
Richardson said the Board will be sharing its next steps in the presidential search very soon, and Wearden is looking forward to building on the University’s already strong momentum.
“I am excited about the next 17 months,” Wearden said. “We have a lot to do in that period, during which MU will continue moving toward an even higher level of excellence.”
(Photo: Methodist University's president, Stanley T. Wearden, announced his retirement. His final day at the university will be June 30, 2027. Photo courtesy of Methodist University)
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