On Friday, May 29th, men of all ages will slip on red high heel shoes and walk a mile through downtown Peterborough in a show of support for women and children facing violence in our community.
The annual “Walk A Mile in Her Shoes” event, an awareness fundraiser for YWCA Peterborough Haliburton, begins at 12 p.m. in front of Peterborough City Hall.
“We have already received more support from local men and raised more money than ever before,” says Lynn Zimmer, Executive Director of YWCA Peterborough Haliburton. “Every man that walks, and every person that supports him helps to save lives, relieve deep suffering and strengthen our whole community.”
The generous and brave participants will walk in their red high heels down George Street to King Street and then back up Water Street to City Hall.
The walkers, sponsors, and volunteers will then celebrate with a pizza lunch at Confederation Park, courtesy of Chemong Road Boston Pizza. Trophies will be awarded for highest pledges raised by a team and highest pledges raised by an individual.
“With half of all women having experienced some form of abuse, we see that domestic violence is not a personal issue, but a community one,” says Monika Carmichael, Trent Valley Honda General Manager. “As part of marking 40 successful years in the Peterborough community, we are excited to join this fun event for the important cause of supporting women and children fleeing violence.”
When YWCA Peterborough Haliburton launched “Walk A Mile In Her Shoes” in 2009, the topic of domestic violence was pulled out of the shadows and onto George Street. This was the event that got women and men talking about the prevalence of domestic abuse in our community and what they could do to help.
Since then, over 1,500 men have walked a mile in high hells through the heart of downtown Peterborough, raising over $375,000 in support of YWCA Crossroads Shelter and the many YWCA services for women building lives free of violence.
It’s not too late to participate in this year’s walk. Men interested in showing support for the women and children they love can still register online at www.walkamilepeterborough.com. You can quickly create a personalized profile making it easy to engage your family, friends and co-workers in the cause through email or social media.
If you can’t participate, visit the website to make a pledge for a walker or a team.
All photos courtesy of YWCA Peterborough Haliburton
