JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
When Rhonda MitchKetchens was growing up, her mother would often tell her and her siblings to "be the solution" whenever they complained of a problem. It's a mantra MitchKetchens said she always lived by. So when the Joint Base Charleston Weapons Station Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program called for T-shirt design ideas for Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, MitchKetchens knew she had a solution.
Her slogan "Be the Solution," won the base SAPR T-shirt design contest, chosen among 20 design ideas submitted by service members and civilian employees from various commands.
"It's simple, but is a very powerful statement," said Tiffany Mizzell, Sexual Assault Response coordinator and head of the SAPR program at JB Charleston-Weapons Station.
Mizzell, who spearheaded the T-shirt contest, said the SAAPM committee asked participants to create a shirt design based on this year's SAAPM theme "Eliminate Sexual Assault: Know Your Part. Do Your Part."
"'Be the Solution' represents many things to our SAPR program," said Mizzell. "You can 'be the solution' by being an active bystander, you can 'be the solution' by educating others about the crime of sexual assault, or you can 'be the solution' by providing support to victims and survivors of sexual assault."
MitchKetchens' winning design has been printed on about 250 T-shirts and has raised $2,500 to be donated to a local rape crisis center, People Against Rape, and to the Medical University of South Carolina, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner department who provides forensic exams to adult victims of sexual assault in the Tri-County Area.
MitchKetchens said she was flabbergasted when she found out her design idea had been selected as the winner, but humbled when she saw the actual design printed on a T-shirt.
"I strongly believe that our individual lives are the results of our attitudes and our thoughts," said MitchKetchens. "I'm proud my design will make a difference."
Seaman Caleb Swinnerton, a student at the Nuclear Power Training Command, placed second in the contest with his slogan, "We Never Stand Watch Alone," which was placed on the back of the "Be the Solution" T-shirts.
To purchase a T-shirt or for more information, contact Tiffany Mizzell at (843)-794-7428.