The G.A.R.F. Gazette

Welcome to the latest edition of The G.A.R.F. Gazette! A newsletter produced by Gillette Abuse Refuge Foundation, Inc. in Gillette, Wyoming. We are a 501c(3) nonprofit agency, providing services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

People of Courage

Director’s Corner

Happy Wyoming Summer to You!

G.A.R.F. continues to grow, innovate, and enhance our services to provide the highest quality support to the people of Campbell County and the northeast Wyoming region.

On May 1, 2026, we proudly launched our Crisis Text Line. Community members can now reach us by calling or texting (307) 686-8070, giving those in need another safe and accessible way to connect with our services. We are excited to offer this additional resource and encourage you to help spread the word so more residents know support is just a call or text away.

In June, G.A.R.F. hosted our second Chamber of Commerce Mixer, this time at our Advocacy Facility. Guests enjoyed touring the agency, learning more about our programs, and seeing firsthand the impact of our work. We were grateful for the wonderful turnout and the community's overwhelming support. Thank you to everyone who joined us!

We are also excited to share that G.A.R.F. has been developing a vision and strategic plan for a new campus that will bring all of our programs together under one roof. This new campus will allow us to expand our services, including onsite Transitional Housing, enhanced mental health and addiction treatment services, and accommodations for clients' pets while they are staying in our shelter or Transitional Housing program. We believe this growth will strengthen our ability to serve individuals and families while meeting the evolving needs of our community.

As we continue to grow, we look forward to new opportunities to support our clients and make an even greater impact throughout our community.

Thank you for being an important part of our mission. Your support makes this work possible.

Survivor’s Space

Finding Peace After a Lifetime of Survival

For much of her life, this person lived in a cycle of abusive and controlling relationships. Physical violence, emotional abuse, and manipulation became familiar patterns, beginning in childhood and continuing into adulthood. In an effort to cope with years of trauma, she struggled with alcohol and substance use for many years.

Following the death of her husband, she found herself at a crossroads. Determined to build a different future, she committed to recovery and achieved two years of sobriety. Seeking to reconnect with family, she returned to Gillette to be closer to her daughter and moved in with her elderly mother, helping to provide care in the home.

While living there, she came to a profound realization: many of the emotional wounds she had carried throughout her life had originated in her childhood home. Recognizing the need to heal from decades of unresolved trauma, she reached out to the Gillette Abuse Refuge Foundation (G.A.R.F.) for support.

She enrolled in consistent counseling with G.A.R.F.'s in-house therapist while also meeting weekly with her case manager. Together, these services created a foundation of safety, accountability, and encouragement as she learned healthier ways to respond to emotional triggers and process past trauma.

When she first entered services, she frequently described herself as "always feeling anxious." Through therapy, advocacy, and continued sobriety, she has begun recognizing moments of emotional safety that once seemed impossible. Today, she proudly shares that she is "beginning to notice and find comfort in moments of calm."

Although her healing journey continues, the progress she has made reflects the life-changing impact of accessible, trauma-informed services. G.A.R.F. has helped provide not only counseling and case management, but also hope, stability, and the opportunity to build a future no longer defined by abuse.

For survivors like her, success is measured not only by remaining safe or maintaining sobriety, but by rediscovering what peace feels like after a lifetime spent in survival mode.

Upcoming events

Mark your calendars for this annual day of giving on Wednesday, July 15, 2026! WyoGives is a statewide online day of giving for Wyoming nonprofits. Experience the power we have when we work together to become ONE Wyoming.

We are very excited and grateful to be partnering with Pizza Carrello this year for WyoGives! Drop in for lunch or dinner, learn about G.A.R.F. and make a donation to get entered into the drawing for one of two $50 Pizza Carrello gift cards!

G.A.R.F. is once again blessed to be participating in the Hughes Charitable Foundation Incentive Pool. Every donation you make through the WyoGives.org platform on July 15th will be boosted by this generous $1,000,000 Incentive Pool.

Click the link below to read more and learn how your gift will help survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault find their path to a safe and stable life!

Give to Gillette Abuse Refuge Foundation, Inc. (G.A.R.F.) | WyoGives

Fun & Education

Is it Safety or Surveillance?

Many of us nowadays have security cameras or video doorbells on our homes, we enjoy the comfort of knowing who is coming and going on our property, it makes us feel safer. But what if your partner wouldn’t allow you to have access to those cameras? Or worse, you didn’t know they were even there. Instead of feeling safe in your own home, you feel uncomfortable because you know you are being watched. This is the case for many individuals who are in abusive relationships.

You have the right to privacy, especially in your own home. If there are cameras on or in your home, you should have access to them. If you don’t have access or if you are told “no” when you ask for access, that is a red flag 🚩If you suspect you are being surveilled, please reach out. We are here to help you - no pressure, no judgement, completely confidential. Call or Text us at 307-686-8070.

Read more about digital abuse/technology facilitated abuse here.

Test Your Knowledge of Domestic Violence

Across

6. Anyone can be a victim of domestic violence, regardless of ____, gender, or socio-economic status.

7. Humiliation and constant criticism are considered this type of abuse.

8. Perpetrators often try to ________ victims from friends and family.

9. A brave individual who has experienced abuse.

10. When the abuser controls your money, you are experiencing this type of abuse.

Down

1. Cyberstalking, online harassment, and monitoring of a person’s social media account are ways to commit this type of abuse.

2. G.A.R.F. advocates are here to listen and ___________ you.

3. A form of abuse where the abuser causes the victim to question their memory, sanity, or perception of reality.

4. __________ coercion is when a person takes away another person’s reproductive autonomy.

5. ___________ violence is a pattern of behaviors used to isolate, control, or manipulate a victim.

Operations Updates

• G.A.R.F. along with Parents as Teachers, YES House Family Resource Center, and CDC’s Early Head Start program hosted the first annual Wheels at Work - A Hands-On Career Exploration Event at the Cam-Plex Park in June. Even though it was rainy, nearly all vendors still participated, and we had a great turn out from the community! This event is meant to educate our youth and young adults about career opportunities right here in Campbell County and provide fun, hands-on truck and equipment exploration for the children (photos above).

• G.A.R.F. hosted the June Chamber Mixer at our office location. The event was well-attended, delicious snacks were had, and many guests toured the advocacy building (photo below).

Thank you for reading!

Crossword Answers: 1.) Digital 2.) Support 3.) Gaslighting 4.) Reproductive 5.) Domestic 6.) Age 7.) Emotional 8.) Isolate 9.) Survivor 10.) Financial 11.) Perpetrator

This project was supported by Subgrant No. 15JOVW-24-GG-00558-STOP/15JOVW-24-GG-00596-SASP awarded by the state administering office for the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice’s STOP/SASP Formula Grant Program. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the state or the U.S. Department of Justice.