Waterford — Attached to a clay sculpture of a flower blooming from a base of rocks is a slip of paper with a piece of Ewa Grochowsca's story.

"My story began the day I knew my abuser was going to end my life, that is the day I left," it reads.

After experiencing years of domestic violence by her father and two partners, Grochowsca started a business in 2013 selling her art work, with similar messages, at festivals. She donates 5% of each item she sells to the Safe Futures shelter in New London and Prudence Crandall Center in New Britain.

She calls it "art and activism."

Grochowsca, of Bristol, shared her story with 500 walkers before the start of the Safe Futures' 45th annual 4K Safe Walk on Sunday at the Waterford High School track.

She urged women in the crowd to be vulnerable enough to share their stories and go from "victims to survivors."

Held in conjunction with National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the walk helps fund Safe Future programs that combat domestic violence in the region. Mike Buscetto III, chairman of the walk for the past two years, said he expected the event to raise $50,000 for the organization through raffle tickets and donations.

Flying in from Florida, Safe Futures co-founder Leslie Pope-Hall is a graduate of Waterford High School. She said she could not believe how much the organization has blossomed over the years.

She, along with four other women, in 1976, created a hotline for women and added rape crisis counseling, spearheaded by Pope-Hall, after seeing a need for it in New London. Their organization, at the time called the Women's Center of Southeastern Connecticut, has evolved over the years to become the region's primary domestic violence agency, offering a shelter, housing program and now a family justice center.

Katherine Verano, the chief executive officer of Safe Futures, announced before the walk that they are set to close on the property for the justice center Monday, and a brick will be devoted to each founder's name, including Pope-Hall.

Pope-Hall said she was proud "to come back 45 years later and see the small step for women at the time turn into a big step for the community."

The walk Sunday had a huge turnout with community leaders and members adorned in various purple outfits, flags and balloons.

Judi Merrill, 79, of Griswold, was at the walk Sunday with her daughter for the first time. Having supported Safe Futures for 20 years, Merrill said she had been blessed with a good life and relationships and for that reason wanted to pay it forward to women not as fortunate.

"I am a strong feminist," she said. "All people need opportunities and a hand especially from people with resources to offer."

j.vazquez@theday.com