Christy Wood and Denise Venaton stand in the “Broads for a Cause” booth where all items sold benefit the battered women’s shelter. PHOTOS BY MICHELLE WATERS

Albemarle Marketplace is not just a store for antique lovers and collectors. It is a place of hope. Sisters Christy Wood and Denise Venaton are now collecting toiletries and other items for the battered women’s shelter, Esther House, located in Albemarle.
Amidst the aisles of antiques and collectibles, the sisters of Albemarle Marketplace have another goal. They want to provide hope to local battered and abused women through Broads for a Cause.
“Helping battered women is something we believe in,” said Venaton. With a family history of domestic violence, the two sisters have found a cause that is close to their hearts.
Wood opened Albemarle Marketplace more than five years ago and has watched it grow to house 150 different vendors. In the heart of the antique mall, one of the booths specifically benefits the Esther House. All proceeds from booth sales go directly to a fund for the battered women.
One of their favorite quotes and a motto for the cause comes from Mother Teresa, “Love is doing small things with great love.”
All of the donations collected by the sisters go to the women and children of The Esther House in Albemarle.
The Esther House is about to hit their one-year mark as an organization. Since its opening in July of last year, 130 women and children have come through the doors of the house.
The home is not just a sanctuary for the weary and abused, but also a place of healing.
They offer group counseling for rape and sexual assault victims, provide advocacy and case management services, give resources and steps for the women to take and provide empowerment and parental guidance. The Esther House also provides services in the office when women choose not to stay in the house.
“This is a safe place for women and children to come that need to get out of a violent situation,” said Jeannie Langston, director of the home.
Security is a top priority for the Esther House. The location is not given out to the public, security cameras are on the property, and guests must be escorted onto the property by staff at all times.
Broads for a Cause accepts all toiletries, feminine hygiene, beauty, and hair products as well as under garments and socks at the store and at other locations around Albemarle. They request all donations must be new. “We collect items, whatever makes a girl feel like a girl,” said Venaton.
“We need the community’s support to come together and bring awareness to the problem of battered women in our county,” said Wood.