PHOTO COURTESY KELLY KRAUS Chairwoman of "The Vagina Monologues" Production Committee Kelly Kraus presents a $9,000 check from the proceeds generated from "The Vagina Monologues" to violence prevention specialist Tina Tarin and other members of the OASIS Program.

After successful sales from the February production of "The Vagina Monologues" and related memorabilia, the UA Network of Feminist Student Activists presented a $9,000 check last week to the OASIS Program for sexual assault and Relationship violence, which assists Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence victims.

The activists also donated $1,000 to the Iraqi Women's Organization and 1,149 tampons to the Brewster Center Domestic Violence Services, according to a press release by the NFSA.

The proceeds that made the donation possible were provided by two sold-out showings of "The Vagina Monologues," the "Vagina Warrior" T-shirts, chocolate vagina candies and the pink "V" lapel pins, said Kelly Kraus, the club president and chair of the production committee for "The Vagina Monologues."

"We wanted to encourage people coming to the show to take further action in supporting women experiencing violence," she said.

"The Vagina Monologues" and related fundraisers were part of the V-Day campaign, a global movement aimed at fighting violence against females. Choosing the UA's OASIS Program as the recipient of the large donation seemed natural and appropriate, said Kraus, a political science and women's studies senior.

"We chose the OASIS Program because it provides an invaluable service to the students, faculty and staff of the UA community who are impacted by sexual assault and relationship violence," Kraus said.

The Iraqi Women's Organization also received donations from groups around the world that participated in the V-Day campaign, Kraus said.

"Every year, the V-Day campaign donates 10 percent of the proceeds from every production of 'The Vagina Monologues' all over the world to a spotlight country," Kraus said. "This year that country was Iraq."

The idea for the donation of tampons was sparked by the insights of club members who saw the need for more hygiene products at the Brewster Center Domestic Violence Services, Kraus said.

"Members of our organization work at the Brewster Center Domestic Violence Shelters and told us that because they have a lot of women staying there, they are constantly in need," Kraus said.

Ana Muniz, a sociology and women's health sophomore and club member, volunteers at the Brewster Center and said since the center cannot afford to buy everything they need, they rely heavily on public donations.

Julie K. Johnston, program director at the Brewster Center, said people often forget about the importance of basic needs of survivors of domestic violence.

"So many people leave with nothing in the middle of the night," Johnston said. "Those types of donations (like tampons) are crucial to the work that we do and we couldn't do it without the community."

Domestic violence

For information or help, contact the Brewster Center Crisis line at 622-6347