The Walk a Mile in Her Shoes fundraiser will remain largely unchanged this year, as the event takes place outdoors, where social distancing is possible. Participants will however be given red face masks to wear to match their red shoes, as a precaution with the ongoing pandemic. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Walking for a cause

Walk a Mile fundraiser to go ahead next week

Sep 11, 2020 | 2:58 PM

The Battlefords and Area Sexual Assault Centre (BASAC) will host their fourth annual, Walk a Mile in Her Shoes fundraiser, Sept. 17 at the Blend Bar and Restaurant.

Walk a Mile is an international event that features men coming together, in their various communities, to don high-heeled shoes for a walk to raise awareness about sexual assault and gender violence.

Generally the event is held locally in May, to correspond with Sexual Assault Awareness Week, which runs May 11 to 15. However, due to COVID-19 precautions it was postponed to September this year.

Executive director with the Battlefords and Area Sexual Assault Centre, Amber Stewart, said the event is a great way to get back out and about in the community, while supporting an important cause.

“It’s really a fun way to get out and not only support the Sexual Assault Centre and the work that we do in the community, but also raise awareness about gender-based violence in our community and in our province,” she said. “It’s also a way for men to sort of help stand up for women as well.”

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Stewart said with things starting to reopen a bit more, they felt this was an appropriate time to hold the organization’s largest yearly fundraiser.

Walk a Mile is responsible for about 30 per cent of the BASAC’s annual fundraising efforts. Additionally, this year’s event could shoulder an even higher percentage, after two of the Centre’s other fundraisers were cancelled altogether earlier this year, due to the pandemic.

“Our services are free, and while we do receive some core funding, it’s just not enough to cover everything we do, and specifically our prevention education component,” Stewart said. “We run free prevention education in schools in the Battlefords, and none of that is funded. This money goes directly into that, and had we not been able to hold this fundraiser, we might not be able to keep the prevention department going.”

Stewart said she’s grateful for the community’s continued support of the event over the last number of years, and in particular this year, which has been especially tough on local businesses.

“It really means a lot that the community continues to show up for this event, and especially this year,” she said. “Coronavirus has really just thrown a wrench in a lot of plans for people; businesses were shut down, people were struggling, but people were still donating raffle prizes to us. It makes us feel like the community sees the work that we do and values it. It’s very heartwarming.”

While much of the event will remain unchanged this year, there will be specially made red face masks for participants to wear this year as a precaution.

Those participating in the walk are asked to register in advance. Check-in registration on Sept. 17 will begin at 5:30 p.m. with the walk to commence at 6 p.m.

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1