In September, we hosted an unforgettable evening of self-expression, resilience, and transformation at The Butterfly Legacy, our inaugural Talent Show. Educators and victim survivors bravely shared their stories through music, poetry, dance, and art, creating a powerful space for healing and awareness.
Highlights included:
– Bill Stedman, firefighter and paramedic, offered an insightful presentation on anti-social violence, teaching us the Power of NO and the Power of Voice, empowering us all to protect ourselves through awareness and prevention.
– Richard Schmidt, self-defense expert and owner of Vigilant Self Defense, shared life-saving non-lethal self-defense options, helping us develop safety habits that are practical and relatable to everyday life.
– Molly Pierron, a brave 16-year-old, shared her story of survival through dance.
– Chloe Bauer, also 16, opened the show with the first song Jessie Blodgett ever wrote, “Butterflies,” and closed it with the last, “Letter to Humanity.”
– Jessie Tortomasi, an educator and advocate, performed a moving dance piece reflecting her journey of overcoming domestic abuse.
– Melissa Etzler, a Certified EFT Practitioner who fought off Jessie’s killer and identified him for police, presented “Harmony in Shadows,” using music and movement to explore the resilience of the human spirit.
– Nancy Finnessey, long-time LOVE>hate advocate, presented Fuschia’s Garden, a children’s story symbolizing Jessie Blodgett’s legacy.
– Mary Lambrecht, a survivor and artist, shared her healing journey through poetry and art.
– Victim/survivor, Jules Duncan, delivered her powerful 2018 sentencing statement.
This event also marked the launch of the Jessie Blodgett Music Scholarship, fulfilling Jessie’s dream to “change the world through music.” We proudly announced Paityn Spaeth and Brantley Vita as the first recipients, thanks to the generous support of the MrBallen Foundation.
A heartfelt thank you to our inspiring educators, performers, sponsors, and partners—including The West Bend Music Academy, Lake Shore Dance, WAMI award nominees, Delta Defense, Alignment Coaching & Consulting, Best Self Counseling, and David Liska Custom Jeweler—for making this night possible and so meaningful.
We invite you to watch the video below to relive this extraordinary evening! To see all the performances from our Talent Show, visit our YouTube channel.
