Local & State Headlines

Lily Pad to honor Boren

• A resource center at Albany’s Lily Pad will be named for and dedicated to victims’ advocate Bob Boren.

Carlton Fletcher

ALBANY — When the concept of the Lily Pad SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) Center, which provides primary and follow-up care for victims of sexual assault, became a reality, former Albany Police Chief Bob Boren was asked to lend his expertise to getting the center off the ground.

The longtime law enforcement official became a driving force behind the Lily Pad’s July 2007 opening, and he remained an active advocate of the center until his recent death.

On Wednesday, the Lily Pad will honor Boren by dedicating the Bob Boren Center for Sexual Assault at its 300 W. Third Ave. facility.

“There’s some confusion right now; some people think we’re renaming the Lily Pad,” Executive Director Karen Kemp said. “What we’re doing is creating a center at our facility that is devoted to prevention, advocacy and research.

“Part of Bob Boren’s vision was that he understood that (sexual assault) will continue to happen until we shine a light on the problem. He wanted to create hope for victims, and he thought the best way to do that was through a safe, confidential facility like the Lily Pad.”

Boren’s widow, Priscilla, will join other dignitaries and invited guests at a dedication ceremony at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

“It’s fitting that this center is being dedicated to Bob,” Dougherty County District Attorney Ken Hodges said. “He was a problem solver. He was essential in moving things forward (for the Lily Pad) and getting things done. He provided law enforcement expertise, and he also helped bring in financial resources.

“He was very involved in making the Lily Pad a reality.”

Kemp said Boren’s impact helped the facility make dealing with sexual assault a little less overwhelming for victims.

“His years in law enforcement helped him understand the seriousness of the problem in this region,” she said. “He made sure we understood the impact (an assault) had on every aspect of victims’ lives — on their family, in the workplace, in school, in social settings — and he did everything he could to help us in our attempts to help victims have a successful re-entry into society.”

More Headlines>>