SOUTH BEND — October draws a host of chances to eat and drink locally and let your dollars help victims of domestic violence. But, while those were announced Thursday, Oct. 3, Matt Lentsch shared a heart-breaking memory linked to changes in state laws .
On an ordinary night in 1989, Matt Lentsch was working at The Salvation Army in Mishawaka, where Lisa Bianco came to pick up her young daughters at about 7 p.m. from an after-school program. Lentsch, 27, and Bianco, 29, chatted as they had many times. They'd become “good friends.” She was directing the Elkhart County Woman’s Shelter in Elkhart.
“I’ll never forget the day,” Lentsch recalled in front of the YWCA North Central Indiana shelter and headquarters alongside staff and supporters. “It had a profound impact on me.”
By 10 a.m. the next day, Bianco was dead, beaten in her yard with a shotgun. Her ex-husband had just gotten a temporary furlough from prison, where he served a term for previously beating her.
“Lisa never shared much about her struggles,” Lentsch said. “We can’t do enough to call attention to what you (YWCA) do. We need to work so that what happened to Lisa Bianco never happens again.”
History lesson: Lisa Bianco's ex killed her during his 8-hour furlough from prison. The case sparked change
YWCA CEO Susan Tybon said that evidence of domestic violence is often hidden from view.
So, while you may not realize it, she said, “You know someone dealing with domestic violence.”
There are several ways to support the YWCA’s work for victims during Domestic Abuse Awareness Month in October, listed below. Among the local eateries that are helping, Navarre Hospitality Group announced Oct. 3 that it’s pledging $10,000.
Lentsch, who directs Mishawaka’s development and governmental affairs , had come to read a proclamation from Mayor Dave Wood.
As he left, he told The Tribune how Bianco’s brutal death shocked him so much, having grown up in a middle-class family in Ohio, that he stood “paralyzed” at her visitation. In that moment, Bianco’s 5-year-old daughter, Amber, took his hand and said, “Mr. Matt, I want to show you what we got Mom.”
It was a spray of flowers. Lentsch stayed in touch with Bianco’s mother over the years.
"You can be caught in that grief," he recalled, "or you can do something about it."
Bianco’s death gained a lot of media attention, as did the execution of her ex-husband, Alan Matheney, in 2005. Her death led to changes in Indiana law , including a statewide system that alerts victims who register for the service when an inmate is released from prison or if the inmate’s status there changes.
How to help
∎ Eat and drink: Several restaurants and bars in St. Joseph and Elkhart counties will offer special menu items and cocktails where a portion of what you pay will go to the YWCA. In St. Joseph County, they include Howard Park Public House, Ironhand Vineyard, Cafe Navarre, Cascade, Spirited, The Cellar Wine Bar & Kitchen, LaSalle Grill, LaSalle Kitchen and Tavern and Early Bird Eatery. In Elkhart County, they include The Vine, The Tipsy Biscuit, Brass Elk Brewing, The L Wine Bar, Artisan and Jackson Rooftop. For a complete list and their websites, visit https://www.ywcancin.org/dvam .
∎ Educate: Businesses can request a poster to put in their bathrooms or other public places. It raises awareness about what domestic violence is and offers the YWCA’s 24-hour, toll-free hotline that victims can call or text: 866-YES-YWCA.
∎ Give Tribute: The YWCA will honor a few community leaders and the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi at its annual Tribute Awards Fundraiser dinner from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Oct. 10 at the Hilton Garden Inn. Tickets are still available.
∎ Learn more: Find links and details on the restaurant/bar offers and other ways to help at https://www.ywcancin.org/dvam .
South Bend Tribune reporter Joseph Dits can be reached at 574-235-6158 or jdits@sbtinfo.com .
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Bianco memories surface as eateries, bars help YWCA raise awareness of domestic violence
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