Submitted
Trinity Lutheran Church, 2703 Fort St., will host a women’s conference Saturday, Aug. 24, whose keynote speaker address the topic of sexual exploitation.
The one-day conference will also feature a style show presented by Simply Charmed, a store in downtown Hays owned by Sarah Cearley-Windholz.
Registration for the Western Conference of Central States Women of the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America) is $10, which includes lunch.
Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. the day of the event, with a welcome at 10 a.m. Speaking will be Heidi Olson of Kansas City, Mo.
Olson is a certified pediatric nurse and certified pediatric sexual assault nurse practitioner.
According to her website, she “has a wide range of experience in pediatric and forensic nursing” and managed the sexual assault nurse examiner program at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City for eight years.
Olson has served as an expert witness for the prosecution during trials for victims of sexual assault. She organized Empower KC, a community event to raise awareness about sexual exploitation in Kansas City. She has testified in favor of bills that have been passed into law on the state level and recently testified at a briefing on Capitol Hill about protecting children online.
She has presented in the U.S. and internationally about recognizing human trafficking, child-on-child sexual assault, pornography, and exploitation.
In May 2022, Olson founded Paradigm Shift Training and Consulting in Kansas City, Mo., a firm that helps train hospital personnel to identify and help sexual assault victims.
On her website, she said that her mission at Paradigm Shift “is to provide healthcare workers with the necessary skills and training to identify human trafficking and exploitation.”
In 2023 Olson won the “Cry Purple Award,” which is given to citizens who are doing “outstanding anti-trafficking work in their communities.”
Susan Schonthaler, one of the conference organizers, said Olson spoke this past spring at Hays Medical Center to healthcare workers about sex trafficking. “That’s when I heard about her and thought she would be a good conference speaker for us,” Schonthaler said. “People don’t realize what a problem we have with sex trafficking even in this part of the state.”
Schonthaler said the conference is open to any women, not just Lutheran women, but reservations are mandatory so that adequate food may be prepared.
Reservations are due by Monday, Aug. 19, to Rhonda Templing at [email protected], or by texting or calling (785) 483-9402.
The pastor at Trinity is the Rev. Brenda Rodger.
More information about Olson is available at her website, http://paradigmshifttc.com.