It’s that time of year when wearing a pair of heels and going for a walk will make a big difference for women and children fleeing violence in the Barrie area.
This coming Saturday, the Barrie Women and Children’s Shelter is hosting the 14th annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event in Heritage Park.
The annual fundraiser encourages men, women and people of all ages to put on a pair of heels and go for a walk to raise awareness and funds for the shelter.
Deb James, the shelter’s community development manager, says what started as an event targeted at educating men about gender-based violence has grown in popularity over the years.
“We’ve opened it up now, we still love to see the men and businesses or careers that are traditionally male-dominated…. But we really want to see men but everybody to put the shoes on and to walk that mile and to walk a mile in her shoes,” James says.
The event is also coming at a critical time for the shelter, which, like many, is struggling with the rising cost of living.
James says with the start of school they are struggling to keep their pantries full, with grocery bills totalling $800 to $1,000 every week.
“We are really relying on Walk a Mile to help us keep things running and to keep women and children safe,” James says.
“We are really struggling this year and I know so many other people are also struggling.”
She says they are hoping to raise $70,000 to help support their daily needs, and that every $5 or $10 people can spare will help them reach their goal.
The event will kick off with registrations starting around 10:30 a.m. at Heritage Park and run until 1 p.m., finishing with a lunch and some prizes.
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